Ex Parte Cheung

Patent Trial and Appeal Board

Aug 29, 2016

12824183 (P.T.A.B. Aug. 29, 2016)

UNITED STA TES p A TENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
APPLICATION NO. FILING DATE
12/824, 183 06/27/2010
50163 7590 08/31/2016
WANG&HO
66 HILLTOP ROAD
MILLINGTON, NJ 07946
FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
Jacky CHEUNG
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
www .uspto.gov
ATTORNEY DOCKET NO. CONFIRMATION NO.
DGBP01-3US 9454
EXAMINER
PIERCE, JEREMY R
ART UNIT PAPER NUMBER
1789
NOTIFICATION DATE DELIVERY MODE
08/31/2016 ELECTRONIC
Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
following e-mail address( es):
georgewang@bei-ocean.com
georgewang.hk@gmail.com
PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
Ex parte JACKY CHEUNG
Appeal2015-000184
Application 12/824, 183
Technology Center 1700
Before, ROMULO H. DELMENDO, RICHARD M. LEBOVITZ, and
BRIAND. RANGE, Administrative Patent Judges.
LEBOVITZ, Administrative Patent Judge.
DECISION ON APPEAL
This appeal involves claims to a laminated clothing component. The
Examiner rejected the claims as obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a). We have
jurisdiction under 35 U.S.C. § 134. The rejection is reversed. We set forth a
new ground of rejection pursuant to 37 C.F.R. § 41.50(b).
STATEMENT OF THE CASE
Appellant appeals from the Examiner's rejection of claims 12-19
under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as obvious in view of Fleischman (US 5,873,768,
issued Feb. 23, 1999) and Selle (US 2005/0165200 Al, issued Jul. 28,
2005). Office Action 3 (Nov. 20, 2013).
Appeal2015-000184
Application 12/824, 183
The claims are all directed to a "laminated clothing component."
Claim 12 is the only independent claim on appeal and reads as follows:
12. A laminated clothing component, comprising an upper layer,
a lower layer, and a middle layer, said middle layer being a
knitted fabric made of substantially 100% spandex.
Appeal Br. 8 (Claims Appendix).
REJECTION
Claim 12 is directed to a "laminated clothing component." The issue
in this rejection is whether Fleischman's garment in which fabric layers are
"basted" together meets the limitation of claim 12 of "laminated" clothing.
The Examiner found:
Fleischman discloses an active-wear garment . . . [which]
comprises an elastic fabric panel, which is constructed of "three
layers of segment 48 [that] are basted together by placing the
outer layer of segment 48 on top of the power net fabric layer,
\vhich is the middle of three layers, and \vhich is placed on top
of the lining layer 46 of segment 48." Column 15, line 66 -
column 16, line 3. Fleischman discloses that the middle layer
comprising a power net fabric layer may be constructed of "any
power-netted fabric such as a nylon Lycraâ„¢, or spandex."
Column 8, lines 28-35. However, Fleischman does not
specifically disclose that the middle layer constructed from
spandex is a knitted fabric made of substantially 100% spandex.
Nonetheless, such a feature is known in the spandex art.
Answer 2 (emphasis added).
"[T]he PTO applies to the verbiage of the proposed claims the
broadest reasonable meaning of the words in their ordinary usage as they
would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, taking into account
whatever enlightenment by way of definitions or otherwise that may be
2
Appeal2015-000184
Application 12/824, 183
afforded by the written description contained in the applicant's
specification." In re Morris, 127 F.3d 1048, 1054 (Fed. Cir. 1997).
Appellant provided evidence that the ordinary and customary meaning
of "laminated" is "formed of layers bonded together," for example, with a
glue. Appeal Br. 9. Appellant argues that Fleischman uses basting to attach
the layers together, which is explicitly defined by Fleischman as a type of
stitching. Id. Appellant contends that stitching does not "bond" the layers
together and produce a laminated clothing component as required by the
claim. For this reason, Appellant contends that the Examiner erred in
finding that Fleischman teaches a "laminated clothing component" as
claimed.
We agree with Appellant that the Examiner erred. The dictionary
definition provided by Appellant defines "laminated" as "bonded together."
Id. The term "bonded" is defined in a general purpose dictionary as
"[t]extiles made of two layers of the same fabric or of a fabric and a lining
material attached to each other by a chemical process or adhesive." 1
Appellant provides additional evidence that, "[ w ]hen used in the textile
industry, the term 'lamination' refers to a process of binding one fabric to
another by means of heat or adhesive bonding." Reply Br. 2. In other
words, a "laminated" clothing component comprising three layers as
required by independent claim 12 is one in which the layers are attached to
each by a chemical process, heat, or an adhesive, such as glue. Stitching
layers together does not involve a chemical process, heat, or an adhesive and
therefore does not result in a "laminated clothing component."
1 http://www. dictionary. com/browse/bonded.
3
Appeal2015-000184
Application 12/824, 183
Consequently, we are compelled to reverse the rejection of claim 12, and
claims 13-19 which depend from it.
NEW GROUND OF REJECTION
We set forth a new ground of rejection pursuant 37 C.F.R. § 41.50(b).
The new ground is as follows:
Claims 12-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) (pre-AIA) as
obvious in view of Fleischman, Falla (US 6,837,771 B2, issued Jan. 4,
2005), and Selle. Falla is newly cited.
Findings of Fact ("FF")
Fleischman
FF 1. Fleischman describes active-wear garments, such as brassieres.
See Fleischman, Figs. 1-3, 6-10.
FF2.
The garment of the invention utilizes a third layer of
fabric, which is a power-netted layer of fabric in segment 48 of
the elastic fabric panel 20, which is positioned between the lining
preferably made of Cool Maxâ„¢ and the exterior fabric layer
preferably made of Merylâ„¢, which layer will be discussed
hereinbelow. This third layer of fabric may be any power-netted
fabric such as a nylon Lycraâ„¢, or spandex.
Id., col. 8, 11. 28-35.
FF3.
To construct the elastic fabric panel, the raw edges of the
three layers of segment 48 are basted together by placing the
outer layer of segment 48 on top of the power net fabric layer,
which is the middle of three layers, and which is placed on top
of the lining layer 46 of segment 48. Basting is a type of stitching
known to those of skill in the art.
4
Appeal2015-000184
Application 12/824, 183
Id., col. 15, 1. 66 to col. 16, 1. 4.
Falla
FF4.
Feminine undergarments, particularly brassieres and other body
shaping garments that are fabricated using a multilayered fabric
laminate that is formed by gluing multiple fabric layers together,
preferably to permit body shaping garments to be substantially
fabricated from a single main piece of material or blank cut from
the multi-layered fabric laminate and which has finished edges
which do not require separate binding or narrow edge finishing .
Falla, Abstract.
FF5.
In still other embodiments, multi-layer fabric laminates of three
or more layers or plies of the same or different, but compatible
fabrics are made by the same general process as described above,
with the further provision that the adhesive is applied between
each and every adjoining fabric layer over whatever portions of
the contacting surfaces of the layers it is desired to achieve
permanent adhesive contact when the adhesive material is
actuated.
Id. col. 11, 11. 48-55.
FF6.
As illustrated [in Fig. 8], the fabric laminate material
incorporates two layers of fabric at least one of which has a yam
which incorporates a spandex material, thus imparting
elastomeric characteristics to the fabric.
Id. col. 12, 11. 2-5.
FF7.
Where the fabric laminate is to be used to produce controlling
panties, the web adhesive 34 is generally applied to the entire
first surface of the first layer of fabric 30 with the second layer
5
Appeal2015-000184
Application 12/824, 183
being an elastomeric fabric that is stretchable and includes an
elastomeric such as synthetic spandex material 32. This second
layer is positioned over the adhesive web 34.
Id. col. 9, 11. 54--60.
Selle
FF8. Selle describes the production of commercial spandex "with
greater efficiency, improved consistency and at lower costs from a high-
solids content polyurethaneurea polymer solution." Selle, Abstract. Selle
teaches that the "spandex fibers, and the fabrics and garments comprising
them, have good dyeability and colorfastness, as well as other desirable
characteristics." Id. Selle teaches that its examples "demonstrate the
characteristics of the spandex fiber, and the characteristics of fabrics
comprising the spandex fiber." Id. i-f 46.
FF9. Selle discloses that garments comprising spandex include "an
item of clothing such as a jacket; coat; shirt; skirt; pair of pants; sportswear;
swimsuit, bra, socks or underwear." Id. i-f 45.
FFlO.
The spandex of the invention can be used alone or in combination
with various other fibers in wovens, weft (including fiat and
circular) knits, warp knits, and personal hygiene apparel such as
diapers.
Id. i-f 38.
FF 11. Selle teaches spandex was knit to form 100% spandex fabric.
Id. i-fi-f 138, 140, 143, 161.
Rejection
Fleischman describes a garment having a "lining" and an "exterior
fabric layer" with a "third layer of fabric" between them which can be made
6
Appeal2015-000184
Application 12/824, 183
of spandex. FF2. The garment corresponds to the claimed "clothing
component" of claim 12, the lining to the claimed "lower layer," the exterior
fabric layer to the claimed "upper layer," and the third layer of fabric to the
claimed "middle layer ... made of substantially 100% spandex."
Fleischman does not describe its garment as "laminated" or that the spandex
is a "knitted fabric" as required by claim 12.
However, both laminates and knitted spandex had been used in
garments of the same type described in Fleischman. FF 1, FF 4, FF7.
Specifically, Falla describes laminated multilayered garments. FF4.
The layers are glued together to make a laminate. FF4 and FF5. Falla
teaches that gluing the layers together to form a laminate "permit[ s] body
shaping garments to be substantially fabricated from a single main piece of
material or blank cut from the multi-layered fabric laminate and which has
finished edges which do not require separate binding or narrow edge
finishing." FF5. Falla thus provides an express reason as to why a one of
ordinary skill in the art would have produced Fleischman's garment by
lamination instead of stitching the layers together by "basting" (FF3). As
held in KSR Int'! Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 417 (2007),
[I]f a technique has been used to improve one device, and a
person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would
improve similar devices in the same way, using the technique is
obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill .
. . . [A] court must ask whether the improvement is more than the
predictable use of prior art elements according to their
established functions.
Consequently, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary
skill in the art at the time of the invention to substitute lamination for
basting in Fleischman's garment for the advantages described by Falla
7
Appeal2015-000184
Application 12/824, 183
(FF4). Appellant has not provided evidence that replacing lamination
for basting is anything more than a "predictable use" of lamination for
its "established function[]." KSR, 550 U.S. at 417.
The claimed "clothing component" comprises a "middle layer being a
knitted fabric made of substantially 100% spandex." Fleischman describes a
middle layer made of spandex. FF2. Falla describes a fabric layer "which
has a yam which incorporates a spandex material." FF6. Thus, the use of
spandex in a multilayered laminate was known in the art as established by
Falla.
Selle describes spandex was knit to form 100% spandex fabric. FF 10,
FFl 1. The Examiner provided a fact-based reason to use Selle's fabric as
the middle layer of Fleischman:
Selle teaches that the spandex fabrics disclosed therein are useful
in garments, including sportswear, swimsuits, and bras ... [FF9].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art
at the time the invention was made to use the knitted fabric made
of 100% spandex fibers disclosed in Selle [FF 11] as the elastic
middle layer component in the garment disclosed by Fleischman,
since Fleischman [and Falla] teach[ ] that a fabric manufacture
from spandex can be used [FF2, FF6, FF7], since Selle teaches
that such fabrics are known to be useful in garment applications
such as bras [FF9], and because it has been held to be within the
general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on
the basis of its suitability and desired characteristics. In re
Leshin, 227 F.2d 197 (CCPA 1960).
Answer 3.
Appellant contends that Selle "never suggested, nor did the Examiner
articulate, any reasons that the 100% spandex material has 'suitability and
desired characteristics' for being sandwiched in a laminated fabric structure
of the present invention." Appeal Br. 7. This argument is not persuasive.
8
Appeal2015-000184
Application 12/824, 183
Each of Fleischman, Falla, and Selle describes utilizing spandex in a
brassiere. FF 1, FF 4, FF9. Selle teaches that its spandex fibers, including the
knitted 100% spandex fabric, have desirable characteristics. FF8.
Consequently, one of ordinary skill in the art would have had reason to have
utilized Sella's spandex in Fleischmann's garments for its predictable
properties. KSR, 550 U.S. at 417. The prior art does not have to contain an
express statement to use Selle's material as the middle layer in Fleischman.
Often, it will be necessary for a court to look to interrelated
teachings of multiple patents; the effects of demands known to
the design community or present in the marketplace; and the
background knowledge possessed by a person having ordinary
skill in the art, all in order to determine whether there was an
apparent reason to combine the known elements in the fashion
claimed by the patent at issue .... As our precedents make clear,
however, the analysis need not seek out precise teachings
directed to the specific subject matter of the challenged claim,
for a court can take account of the inferences and creative steps
that a person of ordinary skill in the art would employ.
KSR, 550 U.S. at 418.
With respect to dependent claims 13-19, we incorporate the
Examiner's findings and rely on analogous rationale for determining that
these claims would have been obvious in view of Fleischman, Falla, and
Selle. Answer 3.
NEW GROUNDS OF REJECTION
This decision contains new grounds of rejection pursuant to 3 7
C.F.R. § 41.50(b) (effective September 13, 2004, 69 Fed. Reg. 49960
(August 12, 2004), 1286 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 21(September7,
2004)). 37 C.F.R. § 41.50(b) provides that "[a] new ground of rejection
9
Appeal2015-000184
Application 12/824, 183
pursuant to this paragraph shall not be considered final for judicial
review."
37 C.F.R. § 41.50(b) also provides that the Appellants, WITHIN
TWO MONTHS FROM THE DATE OF THE DECISION, must exercise
one of the following two options with respect to the new ground of rejection
to avoid termination of the appeal as to the rejected claims:
(1) Reopen prosecution. Submit an appropriate amendment of
the claims so rejected or new evidence relating to the claims so
rejected, or both, and have the matter reconsidered by the
Examiner, in which event the proceeding will be remanded to
the Examiner. . . .
(2) Request rehearing. Request that the proceeding be reheard
under§ 41.52 by the Board upon the same record ...
The amendment and/or new evidence under 37 C.F.R. § 41.50(b)(l),
or the request for rehearing under 37 C.F .R. § 41.50(b )(2), must be filed
within 2 months from the date of the Board's decision. In accordance with
37 C.F.R. § 41.50(f), this 2-month time period may not be extended by the
filing of a petition and fee under 37 C.F.R. § 1.136(a), but only under the
provisions of 37 C.F.R. § 1.136(b).
REVERSED; § 41.50(b)
10
Notice of References Cited
*
Documeni Number Date
Country Code-Nun1ber-Kind Code MM-YYYY
A US- 6,837,771 B2 01-2005
B US-
c US-
D US-
E US-
F US-
G US·
H US-
US-
J US-
K US-
L US-
M US-
*
Document Number Date
Country Code-Number-Kind Code MM-YYYY
N
0
p
Q
R
s
T
Application/Control No.
l 2J824, 183
Examiner
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
Name
Gloria Falla
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
Couniry
NON-PATENT DOCUMENTS
Name
Appiicant(s)IPatent Under Patent
Appeal No.
2015-000184
[ 1789
Art Unit
I Page 1 of1
Classifica1ion
Classifica1ion
* Include as applicable: Au1hor, Tille Date. Publisher. Edition or Volume, Pe1iinen1 Pages)
u
v
w
x
*!\copy of this t"eference :snot be1n9 furnished wnn tn:s Off;ce act:on (See MPEP § 707.05(a).)
Dates in MM-YVYY forrna.t are publication dates. Classifications n1ay be US or foreign.
U.S. Pa.tent and Trademaok Oftice
PT0-892 (Rev 01-2001) Noiice of References Cited Part of Paper No.
(12) United States Patent
Falla
(54) UNDERGARMENTS MADE FROM MULTI-
LAYERED FABRIC LAMINATE MATERIAL
(75) Inventor: Gloria Falla, Demarest, NJ (US)
(73) Assignee: Playtex Apparel, Inc., Stamford, CT
(US)
( *) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
patent is extended or adjusted under 35
U.S.C. 154(b) by 541 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/777,801
(22) Filed:
(65)
Feb. 6,2001
Prior Publication Data
US 2002/0106970 Al Aug. 8, 2002
(51) Int. Cl.7 .................................................. A41C 3/00
(52) U.S. Cl. ................................. 450/39; 450/1; 2/400;
(58)
(56)
2173
Field of Search ................................ 450/1, 39, 41,
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97, 109, 114-118, 122-124, 156; 2/69.113,
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83/13-16, 23, 30, 32, 39, 40, 50-55, 936-941;
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Primary Examiner-Gloria M. Hale
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Ohlandt, Greeley, Ruggiero
& Perle
(57) ABSTRACT
Feminine undergarments, particularly brassieres and other
body shaping garments that are fabricated using &
, together with a
method of making such garments, both on an individual,
batch basis, as well as an automated process for making the
fabric laminate and multiple garments on a continuous basis,
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39 Claims, 16 Drawing Sheets
US 6,837,771 B2
Page 2
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U.S. Patent Jan.4,2005 Sheet 15 of 16 US 6,837,771 B2
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US 6,837,771 B2
1
UNDERGARlVIENTS lVIADE FROlVI lVIULTI-
LAYERED FABRIC LAMINATE MATERIAL
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
2
provide a substitute for sewing. These adhesives include
thermoplastic adhesives that are heat actuated which are
capable of bonding with fabrics to form a tight chemical as
well as physical bond. These thermoplastic adhesives are
available in a number of forms, including as a film, web,
powder, print, spray, and aerosol. However, this only pro-
vided a partial solution as only zones or sections of the
garment were glued or adhesively bonded while other sec-
tions were either conventionally sewn or otherwise pieced
This invention relates to feminine undergarments, par-
ticularly brassieres and other body shaping garments fabri-
cated using a multi-layered fabric that is formed by gluing
multiple fabric layers together, preferably to permit body
shaping garments to be substantially fabricated from a single
main piece of material or blank cut from the multi-layered
fabric laminate and which has finished edges which do not
require separate binding or narrow edge finishing.
10 together.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Even in instances where it has been suggested that the
process of manufacturing can be better automated by the use
of adhesive technology to bond fabrics, and cutting blanks
from sheets or rolls of the fabric, these blanks still generally
In the garment industry, particularly in the field of manu-
facture of undergarments, especially women's
undergarments, sometimes referred to as body shaping
15 require many additional finishing steps to provide shaping
and/or body constricting and/or contouring benefits, espe-
cially in brassieres.
garments, such as, brassieres and figu_re persuasive panties,
there has been a constant effort by designers to develop 20
garments that not only provide figure enhancement, but are
as well comfortable to wear, non-binding, non-chaffing,
lightweight and aesthetically pleasing, preferably presenting
no visible lines through the wearer's outer clothes. As well,
there has been a long felt need to have garments which are 25
easily manufactured and to the greatest extent possible
reduce the production steps and incorporate the significant
use of automated assembly and eliminate as many as pos-
sible of the labor-intensive and time-consuming manufac-
turing steps, such as sewing or stitching, which even when 30
done using mechanized sewing machines is still nevertheless
a lengthy and time consuming process.
Historically, these objectives were often incompatible. To
provide shaping and contouring it was often desirable to
include multiple layers of material in selected locations and 35
with the need for multiple layers came the need for multiple
sewing steps-and multiple seam lines. Moreover, the line
of transition between sections separated by seam lines often
presented an area of stiffness as well as an abrupt transition,
which created fit and comfort problems. Even in single layer 40
garments bordering edges have to be finished with sewn on
bindings or narrow elastics and even in the latter case the
stretch characteristics of the narrow elastics has not been
fully compatible with the fabric it borders. Moreover, use of
bordering elastics or tapes result in a thicker edging, which 45
not only tends to press inward of the body of the wearer, it
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,462 to Smith et al,
entitled "Fabric Laminate and Garments Incorporating
Same", which issued Sep. 5, 1995, and is assigned to the
assignee as the present invention, describes multi-layer
stretch fabrics, which are used to form discrete portions of
the garment in which it is desired to provide certain control
properties. Although the selective use of stretch control
laminate fabrics provided a step forward, the fabric lami-
nates of the '462 patent are intended to be used only
selectively and not for the entire body of the garment. If the
materials of the '462 patent were used as the principal fabric,
the garment would be too constricting and/or the entire
garment rather than only selected portions of a garment
would have the same controlling features throughout.
Moreover, the '462 patent does not solve the problem of
the discontinuity in the stretch characteristics at the bound-
ary lines between the principal fabric of the garment and any
additional fabric laminated which may be present in selected
areas. Not only do the junctures produce surface
irregularities, which are less than satisfactory both from the
perspective of the "feel" of the garment on the wearer's skin
and from an aesthetic viewpoint the discontinuities can lead
to the leaving of an impression on the wearer's skin,
following a pattern of the discontinuities caused by the
pressure of the fabric on the skin and the differences in the
height of the different fabric constituents over the fabric
surface.
Still another important consideration in the manufacture
of garments from multi-layered fabrics or even a single layer
of material is the ability to produce a garment whose borders
will not fray or unravel, even after repeated wearing and
is often visible through outer clothing. As well, all of the
sewing steps are time-consuming and labor-intensive,
involving multiple sewing operations to assemble the gar-
ment from its cut-out parts. 50 laundering. As previously referred to, this has been accom-
plished by the use of bindings or finishing materials, which
in the case of brassieres are often narrow strips of elasto-
meric materials. This border elastic material provides both
In recent years, advances have been made in the devel-
opment of new fabrics, including both synthetic fabrics and
blends of natural and synthetic fabrics, which could be used
for undergarments. These fabrics are generally softer and
more supple than predecessor materials, yet are capable of 55
providing shape and control, either alone or in combination
with other materials sewn or applied to them, so as to
provide adequate support and body shaping for the wearer.
Many of these new fabrics have elastomeric properties
providing a modulus of elasticity and others are stretchable 60
with a significantly lesser degree of elastic recovery. There
has thus resulted softer and more supple fabrics to provide
a greater level of comfort and aesthetic appeal, but these also
were labor intensive to make and seam lines and bordering
tapes and elastics were required.
More recently, advances have been made in the use of
adhesive securement of fabrics that can, in some instances
control and a finished edge binding. Ho\vever, because the
narrow elastics are of a dissimilar material to that of the
principal fabric of body of the garment and are generally
thicker, there is a discontinuity of stretch characteristics and
surface height to that of the main body of the garment. As
a consequence, the fit, contour and stretch characteristics of
the edges of the garment are less than optimally mated to the
principal fabric used in the garment.
Based on the foregoing, it is evident that there is a need
in the field of apparel manufacture, especially undergarment
manufacture, and more particularly, women's
65 undergarments, such as brassieres and underpants, for a
fabric that will enable manufacture of a garment substan-
tially from a fabric, which is a multi-layered fabric laminate,
US 6,837,771 B2
3 4
made from a plurality of individual fabric layers which can
all be made from the same fabric or which can be made from
different but compatible fabrics, and wherein the laminate
fabric can be made to have any or all of a desired set of
properties especially important in the fabrication of
undergarments, including softness, suppleness the ability to
provide support and control, and the ability to enable fab-
rication of the undergarments with a minimum of or with
total elimination of edge stitching and/or the use of narrow
bordering materials. There is as well a need for the fabric to
provide a variety of both stretchable and non-stretchable and
elastomeric and non-elastomeric zones, all of which can be
easily and relatively inexpensively manufactured using
highly automated means and involving a minimum of labor-
intensive manufacturing and assembly steps.
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j individual fabric layers can be made of the same material or j
j they can each be made from different materials. Where at j
j least one of the fabric materials of one of the layers is l
5j stretchable and contains elastomeric material, having a coef- i
! ficient of elasticity or elastic modulus, at least selected j
j portions of the fabric that is adhered to that layer preferably j
j includes stretchable characteristics which enable the super- j
j imposed plies of the multi-layered laminate to stretch in at l
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Preferably an adhesive material is placed in the adjacent
layers of fabric. The adhesive material can be of the type that
is actuated and has adhesive properties immediately upon
application to a layer of the fabric material, or of the type
Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to
provide in a body shaping garment
, made
from materials that have compatible characteristics which
enable them when secured together either along their entire
extent---{)r at least along those portions which provide the
bordering areas of a finished garment to form a material
which has elastomeric characteristics at least along a portion
15 that must be separately actuated to exhibit its adhesive
properties. Thermoplastic adhesive materials constitute a
preferred example of the latter category. Thermoplastic
adhesives are typically dry to the touch prior to activation.
Adhesive resins are one preferred form of thermoplastic
20 adhesive material that can be used in the manufacture of the
of the garment and in which at least two layers of fabric are
adhered to one another by an adhesive material applied in a 25
manner to cause adhesion of one layer of fabric to its
immediately adjoining layer and which as joined provide a
generally self-finished edge when the fabric is cut as a blank
into a desired shape.
For efficiency in manufacture the multi-layered fabric 30
laminate material is fabricated using adhesive material
applied over the surface of adjoining layers of fabric in a
manner to cause adhesion of the adjoining layers over only
those selected portions of the surface areas thereof that are
in communication with one another and to which adhesive 35
rnaterial has been applied, and further so as to cause adjoin-
ing layers of fabric in other than these selected portions to
remain non-adhered, but integrally a part of the laminate.
The adhesive material is preferably a thermoplastic adhe-
sive material that is heat actuated and is adapted to be
applied in a number of ways, including, but not limited to,
as a film, as a powder, as a print, as a web, and as an aerosol
spray deposition.
40
fabric laminates. The adhesive resin may be in the form of
film, web, dry powder, print, spray or aerosol when applied
to the la ye rs of fabric material that are to be adhered.
Preferred thermoplastic adhesive resin materials include
polyamides and polyurethanes. A particularly preferred
polyamide thermoplastic adhesive resin material for use in
the present invention is a ternary elastomeric material,
having a melting temperature in the range of from about
105° C. to about 175° C.
An additional benefit of the present invention is that the
multi-layer fabric laminate material can be made from an
almost infinite variety of natural, synthetic, or a natural and
synthetic blended material, and provided at least some
portion of the laminate is stretchable, other non-stretchable
fabrics can be used as well. Thus when the fabric laminate
is assernbled with the layers in superirnposition to one
another at least in part, those parts having elastic properties
and/or stretch characteristics are capable of stretching
together.
To the extent that the adhesive material which is provided
between each pair of adjacent layers of fabric material,
covers the corresponding surfaces of each pair of adjacent
layers upon actuation of the adhesive material, the adjacent
In accordance with the present invention the blank created
and which is suitable for finishing as a body shaping garment
is adapted to include supplemental materials such as addi-
tional panels or stiffeners, or shape-imparting materials.
45
layers of fabric materials whose respective surfaces are in
contact with the adhesive material are caused to adhere to
In its preferred form the invention is die cut to form a
blank or series of blanks for use in the manufacture of a 50
woman's brassiere or control panty, with the resultant gar-
ment having little or no stitching and affords increased
comfort to the wearer due to the absence of seam lines and
surface irregularity and provide improved aesthetic
appearance, with little or no outlines of the undergarment 55
being visible through outer clothing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, garments in general
and women's' brassieres and underpants in particular, are 60
manufactured from a dual layer fabric including a first fabric
and a second overlaid fabric, which fabrics are adhered to
one another by an adhesive material between the adjacent
layers of fabric. The individual fabric layers can be selected
from natural or synthetic materials, or materials that are a 65
blend containing both. The individual fabric layers can be
made of stretchable or non-stretchable materials, but pref-
one another. Although adhesion throughout the entire extent
of the fabric is not required, it is highly desirable that the
adhesive material is provided at least along an extent of the
fabric which will, upon creation of the blank provide a
finished edge to the major bordering perimeter of the blank
which will be the perimeter of the finished body shaping
garment.
A still further aspect of the present invention is to provide
a process for fabricating the various fabric laminates, fabric
blanks for garments made therefrom, and the garments
themselves, on both an individual blank/garment or "batch"
basis, as well as on a semi-continuous or continuous basis
wherein multiple blanks and garments can be assembled,
processed, and completely manufactured simultaneously.
US 6,837,771 B2
5
BRIEF DESCRIPTIO!".r OF THE DRA\~/I!".rGS
FIG. 1 is a top plain view of one embodiment of a fabric
laminate blank for the manufacture therefrom of a brassiere
in accordance with the present invention.
FIGS. 2A and B are side cross-sectional views, partially
exploded, of embodiments of a two layer fabric laminate
with an adhesive material therebetween, according to the
present invention.
FIG. 3 is an elevational view of one embodiment of an
6
of ordinary skill in the art, a piece of fabric has what is
known as a technical front and a technical back. The
technical front and the technical back of any piece of fabric
may have the same or different finishes, which may, for
example, be smooth or textured. The terms technical front
and technical back refer to the front and back of a sheet of
fabric as it is made on the knitting machine, and do not
necessarily correspond to a front and back, respectively, of
the fabric as it is incorporated in a fabric laminate according
underwire channel, which can be incorporated in a brassiere 10
blank of the present invention.
to the present invention. Where only one side of the piece of
fabric is smooth, and the other is textured, the smooth side
is generally referred to as the front (which may or may not
be the same as the technical front of the fabric as it is made
on the knitting machine) and the textured side is generally
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodi-
ment of an underwire channel that is a double needle wire
channel, which can be incorporated in a brassiere blank of
the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a supplemental medial
central support insert or gore for a brassiere, which can be
incorporated into a brassiere blank of the present invention.
15 referred to as the back (which may or may not be the same
as the technical back of the fabric as it is made on the
FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a one-piece full supple-
mental front support insert for a brassiere, which includes a 20
central gore and undercup support panels that can be incor-
porated into a brassiere blank of the present invention.
knitting machine). In a fabric with a smooth face, the fabric
may have a gloss or sheen on that side. In a fabric with a
relatively rough or textured back, the fabric may have a dull
or "porous" appearance on that side. Where one side of the
piece of fabric has a design or pattern therein, or has a bright
or colored surface, while the other side is matte, plain,
monotone, or uncolored, the former side is generally
referred to as the front and the latter as the back. FIGS. 7 A and B are a schematic showing the layout of a
batch method for the formation of an individual fabric blank
for the manufacture of a brassiere.
FIG. 8 is a schematic showing the layout of a continuous
method for the formation of a multi-layer fabric from rolls
of individual fabric layers, and the formation of a plurality
of fabric blanks for the manufacture of brassieres from a roll
of the final fabric laminate.
25 In a two fabric layer fabric laminate according to the
present invention, the laminate may be formed such that
either the front or the back of one layer of the fabric is
adhered to either the front or the back of the other layer of
fabric, depending on a number of considerations, including
30 utilitarian considerations regarding which two sides of the
two fabric layers are most compatible from the perspective
of being glued together, as well as from comfort and
aesthetic considerations.
FIG. 9 is a top plan view of one embodiment of a fabric
laminate blank for the manufacture therefrom of a brassiere
in accordance with the present invention, wherein the edges
of the blank have been finished with a decorative cut,
scalloped edge. 35
It is also to be understood that in the construction of a
fabric laminate according to the present invention, there are
certain facing surfaces of the individual fabric layers that
make up the fabric laminate that will be internal or interior
to the fabric laminate and certain facing surfaces of the
individual fabric layers that make up the fabric laminate that
FIG. 10 is a top pian view of one embodiment of a biank
for the manufacture therefrom of a brassiere according to the
present invention, wherein the adhesive web layer does not
cover certain selected portions of the two surrounding fabric
layers, such that only those portions of the fabric layers that
are exposed to the adhesive web are glued together in the
final blank after heat treatment.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a finished back-closing
brassiere in accordance with the present invention.
FIGS. 12A, B, and C are perspective views of back
closure devices utilized with brassieres made according to
the present invention.
40 will be external or exterior to the final fabric laminate.
Internal or interior facing surfaces face inwardly into the
interior of the fabric laminate and external or exterior facing
surfaces face outwardly away from the interior of and to the
exterior of the fabric laminate. All fabric laminates have two
45 external or exterior facing surfaces and at least two internal
or interior facing surfaces. Thus, for example, a two-fabric
layer fabric laminate has two external or exterior facing
surfaces and two internal or interior facing surfaces (one
FIGS. 13A and B are perspective views of front closure
devices utilized with brassieres made according to the 50
present invention.
facing surface of each fabric layer faces outward and one
faces inward), whereas a three-fabric layer fabric laminate
has two external or exterior facing surfaces and four internal
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a finished front-closing
brassiere in accordance with the present invention.
FIGS. 15A and Bare perspective views of finished tubular
type brassieres, strapless and with straps, respectively, in 55
accordance with the present invention.
or interior facing surfaces (one facing surface of each of the
two outer layers faces outward, one facing surface of each
of the tv;o outer layers faces inv;ard, and both facing
surfaces of the inner layer of fabric are considered to be
inwardly facing). Additionally, the two external facing sur-
faces of any fabric laminate can be further classified with
respect to their orientation in a final garment made from the
blank, as either an interior external facing surface, which is
FIGS. 16A-F are side cross-sectional views, partially
exploded of alternative embodiments of a two fabric layer
composite fabric laminate with an adhesive material
therebetween, according to the present invention.
FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a finished control panty
in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
As is used herein, the term facing surface refers generally
to either side of a piece of fabric. As is well known to those
60 the side of the fabric laminate that faces toward the wearer
of the finished garment, and an exterior external facing
surface, which is the side of the fabric laminate that faces
away from the wearer of the finished garment.
For example, in the fabrication of a brassiere from a
65 two-layer fabric laminate wherein the two fabric layers are
made of different materials, one material may have a
brightly colored floral pattern on one side, for aesthetic
US 6,837,771 B2
7
appeal, and have a textured surface on the opposite side. The
second fabric layer, of a different fabric material, may have
a smooth, satin-like surface on one side, for comfort, and
have a textured surface on the opposite side. The fabric
laminate would be labeled such that the front of the first
fabric was the side with the floral pattern thereon, and the
back of the first fabric was the textured side; the front of the
second fabric was the smooth, satin-finish side and the back
of the second fabric was the textured side. The fabric
laminate would be assembled such that the backs of the two
10
fabric layers were juxtaposed with the adhesive web placed
therebetween because the textured sides of the fabric layers
provides a better surface for adhesion of the adhesive; the
front of the first fabric would be the exterior external face of
the assembled laminate, for aesthetic reasons; and the front
15
of the second fabric layer would be the interior external face
of the assembled laminate, for comfort reasons.
8
employ the benefits of the invention. The blank 10 illustrated
in FIG. 1 is for finishing as an underwire brassiere.
An underwire channel section 24 is provided within the
blank 10 to receive therein or thereon a channel member 50
which, in turn, receives an arcuately or "U" -shaped wire (not
shown) of metal or plastic of the type employed in brassiere
design for enhanced cup perimeter shaping and breast sup-
port. A channel member 50 is provided for each of the two
cups of the bra. The channel members are attached to one
layer of the fabric of the laminate, preferably on a facing
surface thereof that will be interior to the laminate when it
is glued together, prior to assembly and gluing together of
the several layers of the laminate. The channel members 50
are typically stitched to the surface of the layer of fabric to
which they are to be attached, however, they may also be
glued in place or fused to the fabric.
The blank 10 is preferably a single extent, thus eliminat-
im! the need for a central welding or ioining of the cun
po~tions 12. If desired, the central ;edi;l porti:'in 14 can b~
reinforced by the adhesive emplacement either between the
fabric layers or on an outer surface of one of the fabric layers
of a central gore or gusset member 40 (see FIG. 5).
As illustrated in FIG. 1, the perimeter of the blank 10 is
A surface of one of the fabric layers of a fabric laminate
according to the present invention may have one facing
surface that will become an exterior external face of the 20
laminate that is printed with a pattern, such as a floral
pattern, an animal pattern, such as tiger stripes, or leopard
spots, etc.; has a pattern embossed thereon, such as, for
example, a Jacquard pattern, in a floral or another design
motif; or may have a lace finish applied thereto.
Also as used herein the terms single-piece and single main
piece, referring to garments fabricated according to the
present invention, means garments wherein the body or
main portion of the garment is made from what is substan-
tially one piece of fabric laminate, wherein the fabric 30
laminate is itself, however, made from multiple layers of
fabrics that may be the same or different, and/or wherein
even individual fabric layers may be made from composites
25
cut-out in the shape of a smooth, straight edge 26. The fabric
laminate used in the manufacture of garments according to
the present invention provides a finished edge that is smooth
and resists unraveling, so that additional edge finishing steps
of different fabrics that are abuttingly adhered to one another
to form a single contiguous piece of fabric. The terms are 35
used to distinguish garments according to the present inven-
tion from prior art type garments that are fabricated from a
plurality of individual parts that are needed to form the main
body of the garment, which parts must be attached to one
another, typically by sewing, so as to form even the main 40
body of the garment, exclusive of any accessories, such as
straps, closure devices, etc., that may later be attached
thereto in completing the fabrication of the garment.
Referring now generally to the accompanying drawing
figures, FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative brassiere blank 10 cut 45
out from an extent of laminated fabric made in accordance
with the present invention prior to its being finished into a
brassiere. The blank 10 generally includes the main portions
of the finished brassiere, namely breast receiving cup por-
tions 12 with a central area 28 which can be readily molded 50
into a three dimensional cup shape; a central medial portion
14 extending between respective inner cup edges; an under-
cup portion or underbust portion 16 which is adapted to lie
generally flat against the chest \Vall of a \Vearer beneath the
cups; side panels 18 which extend from respective outer cup 55
areas which together with the front portions of a brassiere
provide a body encircling arrangement; and shoulder strap
securement sections 20, to provide a securement tab for
shoulder straps which extend over the shoulders of a wearer
and generally terminated along a portion of the side panels 60
18 (not shown) near the back securement means (not shown)
which conventionally provide closure to back closure type
brassieres.
The blank 10 illustrated is exemplary and it is intended to
provide a general teaching to those skilled in the art. It will 65
be readily appreciated that other styles of brassieres, such as
non-underwires, front closure styles and other styles can all
are not required. According to certain embodiments, a
decorative edge, such as a scalloped edge 27, can be
provided. Still other edge configurations can also be pro-
vided. The self-finishing edge eliminates the need of edge
tapes and/or narrow elastic finishing parts, and has the
benefits of additional comfort and aesthetics. Since the
self-edge is of the same material as the principal fabric
laminate of the brassiere, its properties are generally the
same as the main body of the garment. Thus, there is no
abrupt transition between the principal fabric and the bor-
dering portions of the brassiere. As well, the thickness of the
edge of the finished brassiere is generally the same as that of
the principal fabric, thus providing a smooth surface in
intimate contact with the body of the wearer and as well
provides a smooth outer surface where the finished brassiere
comes into contact with the user's outerwear.
According to certain embodiments, a curvilinear shaping
to the edge, such as the scalloped edge 27 serves to enhance
these beneficial attributes. This scalloping of the edges
enhances the aesthetic appeal of the garment, however,
garments can be made with a straight edge, with substan-
tially equal durability. Among other things, the provision of
a curvilinear or scalloped edge does, however, permit a
slight fanning out of the fabric to better engage the body,
particularly along the underbreast and lower side panel areas
to better accommodate the shape of the \Vearer given the
generally inverted truncated cylindrical shape of the chest
cavity. As well, it permits adaptability of the upper portions
of the side panels 18 to the fleshy underarm area as the side
panels 18 extend about the body, under the arms of the
wearer through an area, which often includes softer body
tissue. Moreover, and as further explained with regard to the
fabric, which is formed of at least two layers glued together,
it provides a more aesthetically compatible finish along the
die cut edge.
Referring now to FIGS. 2A-B, which illustrate various
types of two fabric layer fabric laminates made according to
the present invention, FIG. 2A shows one form of a two-
layer fabric laminate material, wherein a first layer 30 of an
US 6,837,771 B2
9
clastomcric material preferably incorporates spandex fabric.
In this embodiment, layer 30 of fabric is placed in juxtapo-
sition to a layer of a dry ternary elastomeric polyamide
thermoplastic adhesive resin material 32, having a melt
temperature in the range of from about 109° C. to about 170°
10
As previously noted, the individual layers or plies of
fabric material used in the formation of the fabric laminate
typically each have characteristic first and second sides or
surfaces, which, depending upon the material, may be the
same or different. This layer of fabric may have a front and
a back that are different due to the manner in which that
particular fabric is manufactured. Referring to FIG. 2, for
example, a first front surface 36 of a layer of fabric 30 may
have a smooth finish with a gloss or sheen to the material,
C., Preferably, the adhesive is in the form of a loosely and
amorphously woven filamentous web. Depending on the
garment to be produced from a particular fabric laminate, the
web adhesive 32 is alternatively applied to cover either an
entire first surface of the first layer of fabric 30, as shown in
FIG. 2A; or only over selected portions thereof, as shown in
FIG. 2B.
10 while a second, back surface of the layer of fabric 38 may
have a relatively fiat, relatively rougher texture to promote
better adhesion.
For example, where the fabric laminate is to be used in the
manufacture of brassieres, it may be desired in certain
embodiments that the adhesive web not be applied to
15
selected portions of the fabric layers, particularly in the
regions of the blank that will become the main portion of the
cups 12 of the brassiere, so that when the adhesive web
material 32 is thermally activated to actuate the adhesive
properties of the adhesive to cause adhesion of the adjacent
20
fabric layers 30, 34, the fabric layers 30, 34 will remain
unadhered in at least that part of the regions of the brassiere
cups 12.
Referring to FIG. 10, the adhesive is in the form of a web
that is to be subsequently thermally actuated using a hot- 25
melt process to cause the fabric layers to become adhered to
one another. Where it desired that certain portions of the
fabric laminate blank not be glued together, adhesive-free
portions 13 of the adhesive web corresponding to those
portions on the surface of the blank (e.g., in the two cup 30
regions) 32b, where it desired that the fabric layers not be
glued together are provided, so that upon actuation of the
adhesive, there will be no adhesive present in those regions,
as is shown in FIG. 2B. The fabric layers will become glued
together only in those regions 32a where there is adhesive 35
present.
In certain other embodiments of brassieres made accord-
ing to the present invention, it may be desired that the two
or more individual layers of fabric that comprise the fabric
laminate in the region of what will become the cups of the 40
brassiere be glued together. In such embodiments, as shown
in FIG. 2A, the adhesive is simply applied to cover the
entirety of the adjacent facing surfaces of the fabric la ye rs of
the laminate. These embodiments offer the advantage of
being easier to assemble in that generally, the entire surface 45
of the fabric layers that are in contact with each other are
glued over their entire surfaces, thereby not requiring the
additional time for selective application of the adhesive to
certain selected portions of the layers of fabric that will
become the glued fabric laminate. Where the adhesive is in 50
the form of a web, this eliminates the need for an extra step
of cutting out those portions of the web where it is desired
for there to be no adhesive.
A similar orientation may be provided with respect to
fabric layer 32 such that the surface in the final garment that
contacts the wearers skin is smooth and both visible surfaces
on the garment have the greatest aesthetic appeal.
If desired, additional non-glued zones can be provided
between layers and/or supplemental fabric panels can be
provided. For example, as iiiustrated in FIG. 1, an underwire
channel 24 for accepting an underwire can be provided.
Referring to FIG. 3, a supplemental channel material 50,
which may be the same as or different from the fabric or
fabrics of the fabric laminate, is placed between the fabric
layers and is preliminarily stitched or adhesively secured to
one of the fabric layers before assembly and gluing of the
laminate.
According to a preferred embodiment, the channel mate-
rial 50 generally comprises a narrow piece of a single ply of
material or multiple plies of one or several different
materials, that are folded to form a tube, as shown in FIG.
4. The channel material is secured to the surface of one layer
of the fabric laminate in a desired area just below the area
that will become the cups of the brassiere when a blank is cut
from a sheet of the fabric laminate. Although the channel
material is presently typically sewn or stitched to the fabric
laminate, it is preferable to utilize an adhesive to glue the
channel material in place so as to eliminate the stitching
step. It is preferable that the channel material be attached to
a facing surface of one of the fabric layers that will become
an interior-facing surface of the fabric laminate when it is
assembled. When the channels are sewn to the outer surface
of the fabric laminate that will become the interior surface
of the final garment that is in contact with the wearer's skin,
the channel material and the stitches used to fasten it to the
laminate surface can create a source of discomfort and
irritation. When the channel material is attached to the outer
surface of the fabric laminate that will become the exterior
surface of the final garment, facing away from the wearer, it
can cause aesthetic problems in that it tends to create a bulge
on the outer surface of the garment that may be visible
through the wearer's outer clothing and destroys the "invis-
ible" look of the garment. Therefore, it is preferable that the
channel material first be attached to an inner surface of one
of the layers of the fabric laminate prior to formation of the \X/here the fabric laminate is to be used to produce
controlling panties, the web adhesive 34 is generally applied
to the entire first surface of the first layer of fabric 30 with
the second layer being an elastomeric fabric that is stretch-
able and includes an elastomeric such as synthetic spandex
material 32. This second layer is positioned over the adhe-
sive web 34.
55 laminate by actuation of the thermoplastic adhesive that
holds the several layers together. The channels themselves
typically have an arcuate or "U" shape. One end of each
channel that faces toward the interior of the blank is sealed
off by stitching or gluing at the time the channel is attached
According to certain embodiments of panties, it similarly
may be desired that the entirety of the surface of the blank
not be glued together. For example, in certain embodiments
of panties that incorporate molded rear "buttocks support"
panels in the buttocks region, it may be desired that the
fabric layers of the laminate not be glued together in those
places.
60 to the fabric layer, and the opposite end of each channel
usually extends to and abuts the outer peripheral edge of the
blank and is left open until a subsequent step of inserting the
underwire therein is completed, after which the channel is
completely closed off by stitching or gluing it closed. Where
65 it may be desired to have less than fully extending channels
that do not extend to an outer peripheral edge of the blank,
the channel material, it is also necessary to insert the metal
US 6,837,771 B2
11
or plastic channel reinforcing and shaping undcrwirc into the
channel before the laminate is formed to prevent the need for
puncturing the formed laminate to insert the wire at a later
stage of manufacture of the garment. Some preferred fabrics
for the channel material include brushed nylon and nylon
taffeta.
As shown in FIG. 5, a central reinforcement panel or gore
40, for emplacement at the center of the brassiere, between
the cups, can be sandwiched between fabric layers 30 and 34
to provide reinforcement at that location. In the assembly of 10
the laminate, the selected portions of the fabric can be
readily indexed to pre-select those areas where adhesive is
or is not to be applied, and/or where other materials, such as
a center gore 40 or other stabilizing and reinforcing material,
and/or a wire and channel material are to be attached to or 15
incorporated within the fabric laminate. Typically, the gore
is made from a polyester knit, preferably a circular polyester
knit.
As is schematically illustrated in FIG. 2, according to one
embodiment, the fabric laminate incorporates two layers of 20
fabric, at least one of which is made from a yarn that
incorporates an elastomeric material, preferably spandex;
and is itself, as well as the garment made from a blank cut
from the fabric, made on a batch or individual basis.
According to this embodiment, individual blanks for indi- 25
vidual garments are prepared separately from squares or
rectangles of the individual fabric layers, typically of a size
of about 12 inches by about 30 inches. The thermoplastic
adhesive is applied between the two layers of fabric before
they are placed together. The dry thermoplastic adhesive 30
may be applied to what will become an inner surface of one
of the fabric layers as a dry powder, as a spray, or as a web.
The second pre-cut piece of fabric, typically of about the
same dimensions as the first piece, and which may be of the
same or a different, albeit compatible from the point of its 35
stretch properties, material, is then placed on top of the first
piece of fabric and the adhesive. Prior to placement of the
second fabric layer of fabric and/or prior to application of
the adhesive, any other inserts, such as a gore or other
reinforcing and stabilizing side panels, and/or a channel and 40
reinforcing/shaping wire, are also inserted. After the multi-
layer "sandwich" of two fabric layers, together with any
inserts and the adhesive, has been formed, it is ready for heat
treatment to actuate the adhesive and seal the layers and
inserted materials together over at least those portions that 45
have been exposed to adhesive, to form the final fabric
laminate.
In still other embodiments, multi-layer fabric laminates of
three or more layers or plies of the same or different, but
compatible fabrics are made by the same general process as 50
described above, with the further provision that the adhesive
12
Such a continuous basis process is schematically illus-
trated in FIG. 8. As illustrated, the fabric laminate material
incorporates two layers of fabric at least one of which has a
yarn which incorporates a spandex material, thus imparting
elastomeric characteristics to the fabric. The fabric parts are
laminated using a polyamide thermoplastic adhesive resin
web placed between them. The fabrics are fed from rolls 60,
64 with the adhesive web 62 fed there between. The adhesive
material is then heat-activated, such as by passing the
assembled laminate through a heat-treatment step 66,
wherein the laminate is supported on a platen 67 and the
laminate is formed by subjecting the layers of material to a
thermal, hot-melt process to actuate the adhesive by soften-
ing it and bringing it to its melt temperature, whereupon
fabric-to-adhesive bonding occurs to adhere the two layers
of fabric material, and any other intermediate gore or other
reinforcing and/or channel materials, to the molten adhesive,
and thus also to one another.
The hot-melt process involves the formation of both
chemical and physical bonds between the adhesive material
and the la ye rs of fabric, due to a combination of temperature
and pressure effects, but does not so restrict or bind up the
fabric and interstitial spacing or "pores" in the fabrics to
significantly impair air permeability or stretch characteris-
tics.
The hot-melt process is typically carried out in several
stages, including a "heating" stage and a "cooling" stage.
The temperature at which the heating stage is conducted
must be at least at or slightly above the melt temperature of
the adhesive material being used. For most adhesive
materials, the melt-temperature and temperature of the heat-
ing stage is in the range of from about 100° C. to about 200°
C. This is well below temperatures, which would damage or
otherwise affect the physical characteristics of the fabric
used in the multi-layer laminate. The second, or cooling
stage of the hot-rnelt process is conducted at a lower
temperature to cause the adhesive material, which is still in
a molten or semi-molten state exiting from the heating stage,
to be rapidly cooled so that it sets and forms chemical bonds
and physical bonds with the fabric layers and other inserted
reinforcing and/or channel materials, thereby causing all
layers and pieces of the laminate to adhere to one another.
The heating stage of the hot-melt process is conducted at
pressures that are sufficient to cause the molten adhesive to
spread and bond with the fabric layers with which it is in
contact, without penetrating or bleeding through the fabric,
while chemically bonding with the fabric layers. The cooling
stage of the hot-melt process is conducted at a pressure
sufficient to keep the elements of the laminate tightly bound
together until the adhesive cures and seals all of the layers
and pieces together.
Generally, the dwell time for each of the heating and
cooling stages should be on the order of from about at least
is applied between each and every adjoining fabric layer
over whatever portions of the contacting surfaces of the
layers it is desired to achieve permanent adhesive contact
when the adhesive material is actuated.
The foregoing process for making blanks, which is also
more fully described in greater detail herein below, is a
"batch" process wherein the blank for each garment is
separately and individually made. This process can,
however, be automated to a continuous or semi-continuous
basis wherein a plurality of blanks can be made sequentially
from a roll of fabric laminate, and even wherein the roll of
fabric laminate is itself made on a continuous basis from a
55 about 10 seconds, up to a maximum time of about 90
seconds. Typically, the dwell time in each stage is about
equal. Determination of the individual stage and total dwell
times is a matter of optimization that depends on the natures
of the fabric layers and other materials and the nature of the
60 adhesive material. Such determinations can readily be made
by persons of ordinary skill in the art.
plurality of rolls of material, with there being a individual
roll for each layer of the fabric laminate, and even for the 65
adhesive material where it is in the form of a web of the
adhesive material.
After the fabric laminate has been formed from the
individual layers of fabric material(s), any intermediate
stabilizing, reinforcing, and/or channel materials, and the
adhesive material, in the hot-melt process, the fabric lami-
nate is allowed to cool and is then ready for the production
of blanks therefrom, from which individual garments are
US 6,837,771 B2
13
made. The blanks arc then cut out using die cutting or other
suitable means.
It should be noted that the fabric laminate can be produced
either on a batch basis as individual squares or rectangles of
material from which a single blank or several blanks are
subsequently cut using cutting dies 68; or on a continuous
basis, from a long sheet of fabric laminate material which is
rolled as it is formed, and from which a large number of
individual garment blanks can subsequently be cut.
It is also understood that garments may be assembled 10
from fabric laminates made from and incorporating different
fabrics, all such fabric laminates being made in accordance
with the present invention.
14
viewpoint, as well as a labor and cost saving measure, that
the straps be attached by gluing or fusing the strap material
to the main garment at the points of attachment. The straps
can be made from either a stretch or a non-stretch fabric, and
are typically made from cotton, polyester, or nylon. The
straps also preferably have means on each strap to adjust its
length. The straps are fabricated according to methods
known in the art.
Generally, a brassiere made according to the present
invention also has fastening means attached thereto to
enable the wearer to easily fasten the garment after putting
it on, and easily unfastening the garment when it is desired
to remove it. The fasteners involve the attachment of coop-
erating parts of a closure device to each end of the left and
15 right end panels of the bra. Typically, the most commonly
used fasteners include "hook and eye" type fasteners, with
at least one, and typically a plurality of two or three hooks
being attached to the open end of one end panel and the
corresponding number of eyes being attached to the open
For example, sections of a garment which are desirably
non-stretchable may be formed of a two-layer fabric lami-
nate which does not stretch to be secured to a two layered
laminate of a stretchable elastomeric fabric. The several
sections of the two fabric laminates are then laid out such
that the different sections of the final garment are adjacent to
one another. The garment is then assembled by first applying 20
an adhesive material along juxtaposed sections and activat-
ing the adhesive to cause the several layers to adhere to one
another. At the juncture of the first and second sections, as
well as any other sections of the garment, the joining lines
can further be glued or spot-welded on the exterior surfaces 25
of the garment to produce a more complete and more
aesthetic joint between adjacent sections of the garment.
FIG. 9 illustrates a finished brassiere 70, including breast
cups 72 made from a first fabric laminate made from two
layers of a stretch fabric and having two side sections 74,
each made from a stretchable elastomeric synthetic spandex
blend fabric. The adhesive material used to join the fabric
layers of the two different fabric laminates together, as well
as adhering the stabilizing and reinforcing joining materials
as well as a gore insert 76 in the front body section, is a
thermoplastic poly amide adhesive resin material, in the form
of a web positioned at joining junctures and is either exposed
on the inner surface of the brassiere or preferably itself
covered by a stretchable, but not necessarily elastomeric
fabric to provide a smooth inner finished surface to the
brassiere.
FIG. 17 illustrates a controlling panty 80 made in accor-
dance with the present invention. Each layer of the two
fabric layers can be seamlessly knit in a manner known in
the art-with the adhesive placed therebetween or the fab-
rics can be made by non-seamless construction using with a
glued seam provided for joining panels or parts thereof.
end of the opposite end panel. The hooks and eyes may be
attached by sewing or stitching them to the end panel. They
may also be glued to the fabric of the end panel. Where a
plurality of hooks and eyes are used, they may first be
separately attached to pieces of fabric, with all hooks being
attached to one narrow strip of fabric and all eyes attached
to another narrow strip of fabric. Each individual strip of
fabric is then attached to each respective open end of the
garment. The individual strips may be attached to their
respective end panels by sewing or stitching or by gluing or
30 fusing the fabric strips to which the hooks and eyes are
respectively attached to the fabric of the end panels.
Alternatively, snaps may be used instead of hooks and
eyes. Typically, a plurality of from two to four snaps are
used, with either all the male or all the female parts of all the
35 snaps being attached to one end of one end panel and the
cooperating opposite parts being attached to the opposite
end panel. The parts of the snaps may each be attached
separately, by sewing or stitching, or by gluing them to the
fabric of the respective end panels, or they may first all be
40 attached to respective fabric strips for attachment to the open
end of each end panel of the garment, which strips are then
attached by sewing or stitching, or preferably by gluing or
fusing the fabric strips to the fabric of the end panels.
Another alternative form of fastener is to use Velcro®, also
45 referred to as "hook-tape", strips, with one strip of material
bearing the "hook" portion, actually a plurality of micro-
sized hooks or barbs, being attached to one open end panel
of the garment, and a strip of material bearing the "eye"
portion, actually a mass of a fibrous or filamentous material Thus, multi-layered garments in general and most ben-
eficially undergarments having body shaping characteristics
can be formed which permit the finishing of the garments
without the need of supplementary binding or finishing
elastics and which preferably provide a single unbroken
extent of substantially equal thickness about the major
extent of the garment for greater comfort, fit and ease of 55
manufacture.
50 which the hooks engage with, being attached to the opposite
open end panel. The Velcro® strips can be attached to the
respective end of the end panels by sewing or stitching, or
preferably by gluing or fusing the base material portion of
each piece of Velcro® to the fabric of the respective end
panel of the garment.
Whatever type of closure device is utilized, it should be
able to resist a tensile strength of at least about 30 pounds
without opening.
Generally, a brassiere made according to the present
invention further include a pair of shoulder straps for
enabling the garment to be worn properly and comfortably
by the wearer without shifting. A shoulder strap is attached 60
to each side of the garment at the front, to the outer side of
the cup area, and at the back, on each side panel of the
garment. The shoulder straps are generally attached by
sewing each end of the strap to the garment at the point of
attachment. It is preferable, however, also with the objective 65
of reducing or totally eliminating the need for sewing in the
fabrication of the garment, both from a comfort and aesthetic
According to certain embodiments of brassieres of the
invention, it is also possible to make the width of the
garment adjustable by attaching a number of sets of fasten-
ers of whatever type is selected (typically, only a plurality of
one end of each cooperating fastening device is used) at
multiple positions on at least one end panel of the garment
so that it can be closed in a plurality of alternative positions
of different overall width in order to accommodate the
individual wearer's chest width size as nearly and as com-
US 6,837,771 B2
15
fortably. This also enables the wearer to adjust the fit of the
garment to account for size changes due to natural variations
in size caused by weight gain or loss.
16
fabrics 30, 34 that arc to be used for each layer, and, for the
adhesive web layer 32, from a roll, bolt, or sheet of the
adhesive material. The two fabric layers and the adhesive
web layer can be cut individually from separate yard goods
of the respective materials. Where the two fabric layers of
the garment are to be made of the same fabric, both layers
can be cut sequentially from the same yard goods, or the two
layers can be cut from two separate sources (e.g., rolls, bolts,
or sheets) of the yard goods. Alternatively, where the two
According to yet other embodiments of a brassiere of the
present invention, the garment can be fabricated to have a
front closure feature. In such an embodiments, the end
panels which usually are open ended and have the closure
means attached, as described above, are formed as a single
piece and the garment is left open at the front between the
cups, in the region of the gore insert. The closure or
fastening means, of any of the same types as described
above for use as a back closure means, such as a hooks and
eye fastener, snap fasteners, Velcro®, or hook-tape, is then
provided attached to the respective open front ends of the
garment. Alternatively, closure devices developed specifi-
cally for front closure brassieres, such as barrel catch closure
devices, may also be used in this type of brassiere.
10
fabric layers are the same or are different, the two fabric
layers of the blank can be cut by "stacking" yard goods from
two sources of the respective fabrics and cutting the two
fabric layers of the blanks simultaneously. As a still further
alternative, all three layers of the blank, including the two
15
fabric layers, whether of the same or different fabrics, and
also the layer of the adhesive web material, can be stacked
and cut simultaneously. Cutting of the individual or stacked
layers of the blank can be done in any manner, manual (e.g.,
hand cut using scissors and the like) or mechanized, using According to still another embodiment of a brassiere
made according to the present invention, as illustrated in
FIGS. 15A and B, the brassiere is made as a continuous,
closed tubular type garment by joining the open ends of the
blank when it is formed, either by sewing, or, preferably, by
gluing or fusing the material of the fabric laminate at the
ends of the end panels. Such a garment is generally made
from a stretch material and is not provided with shoulder
straps so that the garment can be worn with certain styles of
shoulderless dresses or gowns. This tubular style of garment
also dispenses with the need for fasteners or closure devices,
since it put on by the wearer placing it over their head and
pulling the garment down over their chest and breasts. This 30
type of garment is made from a fabric laminate incorporat-
ing only fabrics with a high stretch modulus, so that the
garment can be stretched when put on and that it will return
20
mechanical cutting devices and machines. It is preferable to
utilize mechanical cutting devices, especially of the type that
are computer controlled and which can be programmed to
cut to any specified shape and size, in order to ensure
consistency and uniformity of the resulting cut layer pieces
25
of the blank.
to substantially its unstretched size when on so that it
35 provides the necessary cling to the wearer so that straps can
be dispensed with.
Referring now to FIGS. 7 Aand B, a batch type process for
the fabrication, assembly, and processing of blanks for
brassieres according to the present invention is illustrated for
40
a typical glued brassiere made from a fabric laminate
comprising two fabric layers that have been glued together.
In FIG. 7A, a two-fabric-layer blank 10 for the manufac-
ture of a brassiere in which the two fabric layers lOa, lOc of
the blank are adhered to one another over their entire facing 45
surfaces that are in contact with one another in the
assembled blank, utilizing an adhesive web blank lOb, is
shown as it is first prepared and assembled from its com-
ponent layers and parts by activating the thermoplastic
adhesive material of the adhesive web to glue the two fabric 50
layers together.
Alternatively, a two-fabric layer blank for the manufac-
ture of a brassiere in which the two fabric layers of the blank
are adhered to one another over only selected portions of
their facing surfaces that are in contact with one another in 55
the assembled blank can be made by utilizing an adhesive
web blank lOb in which the thermoplastic, heat-actuated
adhesive material has been cut, punched, or otherwise
removed from the portions 13 of the adhesive blank in those
areas where it is desired to not have the two fabric layers 60
adhere to one another after the blank is assembled and is
formed by activating the thermoplastic adhesive material to
glue the two fabric layers together. Such an adhesive blank
is shown in FIG. 10.
As shown in area a of FIG. 7 A, the individual fabric la ye rs 65
of the blank and the adhesive web are first cut from yard
goods (rolls, bolts, or sheets) of the respective fabric or
One preferred way to cut the individual or stacked layer
pieces of the blanks is to use a die cutter. In an automated
die cutting machine, a die of the desired shape and size is
installed, the one or more layers of material to be cut are then
positioned between the die and an underlying platen of the
machine, and the die is pressed against the platen with the
material therebetween to "punch" out the pieces of the
blank. Use of such a die cutter is highly desirable because of
the uniformity and consistency of the shape and size of the
cut pieces.
For a blank of any given size, the three layers lOa, b, and
c, including the two layers of fabric lOa, c and the layer of
adhesive lOb, are cut to have a polygonal shape that gen-
erally follows and linearly approximates the outline and
two-dimensional, flattened contours of the shape of the final
garment that is to be made from the blank, but is, however,
composed entirely of linear, straight edged segments.
Preferably, a minimal number of straight line segments are
used to broadly approximate, outline and define the general
shape of the final garment that is to be made from the blank.
Furthermore, for a blank for any particular ultimate size of
the final garment that is to be made therefrom, the pieces of
the blank are cut, either individually or collectively as a
stack, such that there is an edge or selvage of from about
one-half inch to one inch incorporated in the blank around
the entire outer linear edged periphery of the blank, that
exceeds the size of the final garment that is to be made from
the blank. The general shape and contour of the polygonal
shaped main layer pieces of the blank is seen in areas a and
b of FIG. 7A and in FIG. 10.
Referring now to area b of FIG. 7A, the next step in the
fabrication of the blank is illustrated, wherein the individual
pieces of the blank are assembled preparatory to heat
treatment in a hot-melt process to form the fabric laminate.
Where the brassiere to be made from the blank is of the
underwire type, that is, having channels with shape-defining
and support-providing wires inserted therein to give the
lower portions of the breast cups of the brassiere some of
their shape and definition in addition to that imparted by the
molding of the fabric of the breast cups themselves, as well
as to provide additional support for the breasts, in contrast
to a soft cup type of brassiere that does not have channels
US 6,837,771 B2
17
with wires therein, and wherein the cup shape and breast
support are provided by the molded fabric of the breast cups,
often assisted by shaped underbust panels. The next step in
assembly of the blank is the application of two fabric
channels 50a, b to one of the interior facing surfaces of one
of the fabric layers lOa, c for the blank that have just been
cut out in the previous step.
The wire channels 50a, b may alternatively be made from
a single long, fiat strip of fabric that is attached to one of the
fabric layers lOa, c of the fabric laminate before the fabric 10
laminate is heat treated, or may be made from two or more
(typically from 2 to 5) layers of strips of fabric that have first
been folded-over on themselves to form a tube. A channel
for a two-fabric-layer channel, or so-called double needle
wire channel, is shown in FIG. 4. The channel is attached to 15
one of the fabric layers lOa, c of the fabric laminate before
the fabric laminate is heat treated. The strips of channel
fabric are typically attached in a curvilinear or substantially
"U" -shape, generaiiy foiiowing the contour of the underside
of the base of the breast cups of the bra, as is shown in FIG. 20
3. The channels 50a, b are typically made from a material
selected from the group consisting of cotton, nylon,
polyester, or spandex. The channel material is initially cut in
straight strips or pieces. Where the channel material is made
from a stretch fabric, the channel material can readily be 25
formed into the desired curvilinear or "U"-shape. Where the
material for the channels is not of a stretch fabric, the fabric
strips are generally cut on a bias so that the channels made
therefrom, either single layer or multi-layer, will have some
"give" to them so that they can be shaped into the desired 30
shapes and attached, by sewing or gluing, to a layer of the
fabric laminate, without the fabric bunching or binding
when shaped. The channels are first attached to a facing
surface of one of the fabric layers lOa, c. In a two fabric
layer fabric laminate, the channels typically are attached to 35
either the interior facing surface of the layer of the laminate
that will become the internal layer of the-laminate proximal
to and in contact with the garment wearer's skin, or it can be
attached to the interior facing surface of the layer of the
laminate that will become the external layer of the laminate 40
distal from the garment wearer's skin. Although the chan-
nels can also be attached to the external facing surface of
either the interior or the exterior fabric layers lOa, c of the
fabric laminate, it is generally not desirable to attach the
channels to the external facing surface of the interior fabric 45
layer as that tends to cause discomfort to the garment wearer
if the channel is in direct contact with the wearer's skin and
it is generally not desirable to attach the channels to the
external facing surface of the exterior fabric layer as that
tends to be generally not aesthetically acceptable because 50
that tends to create a visible bulge on the surface of the
garment facing outwardly away from the wearer, which can
detract from the smooth, even lines and contours of the
exterior of the garment, and \Vhich can often be seen through
the wearer's outer clothing; and/or which may detract from 55
the lines of a printed or embossed design or pattern on the
external facing surface of the exterior layer of the laminate
of the garment. It is preferable, therefore, to attach the
channels to an interior-facing surface of one of the fabric
layers lOa, c of the laminate. In a two fabric layer laminate, 60
it is still more preferable to attach the channels to the interior
facing surface of the interior fabric layer closest to the
garment wearer's skin, since when placed there, the under-
wire tends to provide the most support.
The channels are typically stitched to the inner-facing 65
surface of the interior fabric layer of a two-fabric laminate.
Alternatively, they can be glued or fused to the fabric. The
18
channels arc typically installed such that a distal end of the
channel, towards the center or interior of the garment is
closed off by the same method as which the channel itself is
attached to the fabric, i.e., by stitching, gluing, or fusing,
leaving an open, proximal end of the channel proximate to
and abutting an exterior edge of the blank in order for an
underwire 55a, b to be inserted into each channel and then
sealed therein at a later stage in the assembly of the garment,
after the fabric laminate has itself been heat treated to adhere
the several layers together.
Alternatively, if it is not desired that the channels 50a, b
should extend all the way to a periphery of the blank and an
opening be left therein so that the underwires 55a, b can be
inserted later, the underwires 55a, b can be inserted into the
channels 50a, b immediately after the channels 50a, b have
been attached, and then stitched, glued, fused, or otherwise
closed at the other end of the channel, to seal the underwires
55a, b therein, prior to heat treatment of the blanks to seal
the several layers together.
In a three or more fabric layer fabric laminate, the
channels can be attached to any of the internal facing
surfaces of either outer fabric layer, or to either facing
surface of any internal fabric layer of the laminate. By
attaching the channels to the same facing surface of the same
fabric layer as for the two fabric layer laminate, or to the first
interior facing surface of the fabric layer closest to the
innermost or interior fabric layer nearest to the garment
wearer's skin, the channels with their inserted underwires
will tend to provide the most support.
Some preferred fabrics for the channels include brushed
nylon and nylon taffeta.
Still referring to area b of FIG. 7A, the next step in the
preparation of a blank for a brassiere involves assembly of
the parts of the blank prior to heat treatment to activate the
adhesive of the adhesive web in a hot-melt process, in order
to glue all of the component parts of the fabric laminate
together.
Just prior to such assembly, however, if the brassiere is to
include any other stabilizing inserts, they are first cut from
whatever material they are to be made from. Typically, all
rear- or back-closure brassieres, both of the underwire and
the softcup types, will include a central reinforcement piece,
usually referred to as a gore 40, which is positioned between
the two cups 57a, b. The gore 40 is a generally triangular
shaped piece of material that provides additional separation
between the two cups and stability to the garment in the
central region. A typical gore 40 is shown illustrated in FIG.
5. Alternatively, a more extensive central reinforcing piece
41, that includes integrally formed underbust support panels
that are substantially "U" -shaped and which substantially
follow the shape and contour of underwire channels 50a, b,
as is shown in FIG. 6, may be inserted between the layers of
fabric 10a) c and the adhesive web layer 10b prior to heat
treatment to form the fabric laminate. The extended gore 41
with underbust support panels can be used either in an
underwire type brassiere to provide additional stability,
form, and support to the channels 50a, b and underwires
55a, b, or it can be used in a soft cup type brassiere to
provide basic stability, shape, and support in place of the
channels 50a, b and underwires 55a, b. Where a brassiere
includes both a gore 40 or an extended gore 41 and channels
50a, b with underwires 55a, b, the gore 40 or extended gore
41 can overlap at least a portion of both of the channels 50a,
b, when it is placed in position as the blank is assembled.
Typically, both a triangular shaped gore 40 and an extended
gore 41 are made from a material that does not have, or only
US 6,837,771 B2
19
has limited clastomcric properties, and is usually selected
from the group consisting of cotton, polyester and nylon.
When the blank is being assembled, a gore may be inserted
between either of the fabric layers lOa, c and the adhesive
web layer lOb in a two-fabric layer laminate; between either
exterior fabric layer and its corresponding adhesive web
layer or between either facing surface of the interior fabric
layer and its respective corresponding adhesive web layer in
20
adhesive to flow into the pores or interstices of the fabric
layers and/or over those portions of the fabric itself, which
have been exposed to and are in contact with the adhesive.
By controlling the nature and flow properties of the adhesive
used, as well as the temperature of the heat treatment process
steps themselves, the adhesive can be controlled so that only
those portions of the fabric laminate and any inserted pieces
in the blank that are desired to be glued together are in fact
glued together, and those portions that are not to be glued, a three-layer fabric laminate (not shown); or between any
interior facing surface of any exterior fabric layer and its
corresponding adhesive web layer or between any interior
facing surface of any interior fabric layer and its correspond-
ing adhesive web layer for a four or more fabric ply fabric
laminate.
10 if any, in a blank for a given garment wherein it is desired
that not all portions of the blank are to be glued together
(e.g., in a brassiere where it is not desired to have the fabric
layers in the regions that are to become the cups of the
finished brassiere become glued together), are left glue-free
Gores 40 and extended gores are typically made from a
polyester knit material, preferably a circular polyester knit.
In addition to a triangular or an extended central gore for
15 during and after heat treatment. Typically, the temperature of
the first, hot stage of the hot-melt process is maintained at
from about 100° C. to about 200° C. This is sufficient to
bring the adhesive used in the web to or slightly above its
melt temperature, while still being well below a temperature a hack-closure type hra, further inserts 42a, h (shown in
dashed lines only in FIG. 7a), made of the same material as
the gore (e.g., a polyester knit, especially a circular polyester
knit), or of a material having elastomeric properties to
stretch along with the fabric of the side and end panels where
they are themselves made from an elastomeric material (e.g.,
spandex), can be inserted in the side and end panels of any
type of bra, front or back closure or tubular, and underwire 25
or softcup, to provide additional stability and support to the
side and end panels. These additional inserts or panels are
optional. Such panels are typically rectangular, oblong, or
20 that would damage or otherwise affect the physical proper-
ties and characteristics of any of the fabrics that are used in
the multi-layer fabric laminate. A sufficient pressure is
applied to the blank during this heating stage to cause the
molten adhesive to flow into the interstices of the fabric
are elongated with curvilinear shaped ends and or portions.
30
Assembly of the layers and pieces of the blank can also be
done as a manual operation, or assembly on a batch basis can
be automated, with machines laying the layers down in
sequence and placing the inserted pieces in position as
required. Where such a batch blank assembly procedure is
35
automated, it is preferable to use computer control and a
iine-up and tracking procedure for the bianks to ensure that
the layers and pieces are assembled within a predetermined
tolerance. For example, an optical scanning system can be
incorporated to help in doing this. In such a system, each
40
layer or piece of the blank to be assembled has some indicia
present thereon to enable an optical scanning device to
determine that the layers and pieces have been positioned
properly with respect to one another. Such indicia may be
permanent or may be temporary. It is preferable that any
45
such indicia printed on any of the layers or parts be placed
where they will not be visible in a finished garment. Where
it may be unavoidable that such indicia can be seen, they can
be printed with temporary inks that will evaporate from the
surface before the final garment is finished from the blank.
50
When the blank is fully assembled, with all of the layers
and pieces in position, it is ready for heat treatment, using a
hot-melt process. As is shown in area c of FIG. 7 A, the
assembled blanks are sent to a heat treatment step wherein
layer or otherwise overspread the areas in which it is desired
for adhesive to adhere, without being too high so as to cause
"bleeding" of the molten adhesive through any of the fabric
layers, which would damage the external facing surfaces of
the fabrics. The residence or dwell time of the blank in the
hot stage of the hot-melt process is dependent on the nature
and properties of the adhesive, including its melt tempera-
ture and its viscosity and flow characteristics when in the
molten stage, as well as the characteristics and properties of
the fabric layers being used in the laminate, and the actual
temperature at which the hot zone of the hot-melt process is
maintained. A typical dwell time is on the order of from
about 10 seconds to about 90 seconds.
The hot stage of the hot-melt process is immediately
followed by a cold stage of the hot melt process, wherein the
temperature of the fabric laminate is rapidly lowered so as
to cause the molten adhesive to re-solidify and bond the
various layers and pieces of the fabric laminate together. As
the molten adhesive cools and solidifies, it forms both
chemical and physical bonds with the fabric material and
with the material of the other inserted pieces in the laminate.
Typically, the temperature of the cold stage of the hot-melt
process is in the range of from about 50° C. to about 150°
C. The cold stage is also performed under pressure to
maintain good contact between all of the glued layers and
inserted pieces of the laminate as the adhesive sets in order
to form a strongly bonded laminate with no gaps or
entrapped air bubbles between any of the layers that would
destroy the integrity and aesthetic appearance of the fabric
laminate. The residence or d\vell time of the fabric laminate
in the cold stage of the hot-melt process is typically of the
same order of magnitude as in the hot stage, with a minimum
of about 10 seconds and a maximum of about 90 seconds.
The exact combination of values of temperature, pressure,
and dwell time parameters to be used for the overall hot-melt
the thermoplastic adhesive web is thermally actuated in a 55
hot-melt process to cause all layers and parts of the
assembled blank that are in contact with the adhesive
material of the web to become glued together when the
adhesive web melts and the adhesive is actuated or made
tacky. 60 process and for the individual hot and cold stages thereof can
readily be determined and optimized by persons of ordinary
skill in the art of hot-melt processes, knowing the particular
fabrics and adhesive being used in any given situation.
The hot-melt process of the heat treatment step is pref-
erably a two step process that includes both a high tempera-
ture step, followed by a low temperature step.
In the high temperature step, the assembled blank is
exposed to heat that raises the temperature of the blank to at 65
or just above the melting point temperature of the adhesive
in the adhesive web, causing the web to melt and the
Even though the heat treatment process, as described here,
is performed as part of a blank assembly and manufacturing
process conducted generally on an individual blank basis
(although generally referred to as a "batch" basis), the
US 6,837,771 B2
21
equipment therefor is usually capable of handling a plurality
of blanks simultaneously, on basis that is actually more of a
semi-batch (or semi-continuous) basis. Accordingly,
typically, from about six to about twelve blanks (not indi-
vidually shown) are heat-treated together.
After lamination, the glued fabric laminate blank from
heat treatment is ready to be cut to produce the basic
garment that is to be made therefrom, as is shown in area d
of FIG. 7 A A basic garment cut from a blank is a precursor
of the final garment and has the essential size and shape of
the finished garment, but does not include the various
finishing accessories, which in the case of a brassiere
include, for example, the closure means for either a front or
back closing garment, and/or the shoulder straps for a
brassiere of that type. Because garments made according to
the present invention are cut from blanks of the fabric
laminate, each has an edge that is fully glued, and thus no
edge finishing step is required for garments cut from the
blanks in order to prevent the edges from unraveling.
Accordingly, garments made according to the present inven-
tion can be cut to have substantially linear lines over most
of the garment, with simple straight edges, as is seen in area
d of FIG. 7A.
For underwire type bras, in which the underwires have not
previously been inserted and sealed within the channels, the
underwires 55a, b are then inserted into the channels and the
open ends of the channels are closed by stitching, gluing or
fusing, as shown in area e of FIG. 7B. The underwires can
be made of a metal or plastic material. A typical, preferred
metal is stainless steel. Metal underwires can also be made
from aluminum. Plastic underwires are typically made from
rigid or semi-rigid plastic materials. Either metal or plastic
underwires may also be provided with soft plastic cushion-
ing tips, typically made from vinyl.
In the manufacture of brassieres from fabric laminate
blanks according to the present invention, the next step in
the process involves molding of the breast cups. The cut
blank from the previous step is next sent to a cup-molding
station or machine wherein the cups are molded to give them
a permanent fixed shape, as shown in area f of FIG. 7B. The
cup-molding step is substantially identical whether the fab-
ric in the cup regions of the blank are glued or unglued.
A variety of machines can be used to mold the cups, as
will be known to persons of ordinary skill in the art, with the
two cups alternatively being formed either separately, or
together. According to one such method and machine
therefor, the blank is folded symmetrically in half with the
material in the region of the two cups superimposed over
each other. The garment is then placed in the machine with
the overlapping material of the cup regions being positioned
over a cavity. A mold, having a first circular cylindrical
shaped portion with a parabaloid shaped portion at one end
thereof, such that the mold has a substantially shell or
bullet-like overall shape and appearance, and often referred
to as a "bullet" mold, is positioned over the cavity, \Vhich is
a three-dimensional, concave well having a shape config-
ured to receive the bullet mold. Both the bullet mold and its
cooperating receiving cavity have a circular diameter and a
depth corresponding to the dimensions of the cup size that
is to be made. Accordingly, a different size and shape bullet
mold and its associated cavity are used for every cup size to
be made. Typically, the bullet molds and cavities on the
machine are readily interchangeable, so that a bullet mold-
ing machine can easily be reconfigured to mold different size
cups on either the same or different size garments during the
course of a production run.
The bullet mold is lowered into the cup material, which
spans the cavity, to stretch it and press it into the cavity to
22
" ............ ..-1,-..t- ...... ~.: ........ ..-1 ..-1 ......... t-h 1-,.-,. .:~ ...... ,,. ... 1- t-h ... ,...1,.,..,.: ...... ..-1 ,..,t.,.,,._,....,. 1-,.-,. t-h ...
a _lJlVUVl\.'1Hl.lllVU UV_lJlll lU .llH_lJdll lllV uv;-,.uvu i'Hld_lJV lU lllV
cups. The cup-molding process is performed at an elevated
temperature. Accordingly, at least one of the bullet mold and
the cavity, typically at least the bullet mold, and often both
the bullet mold and the cavity are first heated to a tempera-
ture sufficient to cause a permanent change in the charac-
teristics of the cup material, as the bullet mold is pressed into
the cup material, without the temperature to which the cup
material is heated being so high as to cause scorching or
10 other heat damage to the fabric. The heat from the bullet
mold and/or cavity causes a change in the shape memory
retention properties of the cup fabric. The bullet mold is then
withdrawn from the cavity, leaving the molded cups on the
blank. The shape memory of the cup size that is imparted
15 into the cup material by this process will last despite
laundering and ironing of the garment.
In an alternative method, such as is particularly illustrated
in area f of FIG. 7B, using a different machine, the cups of
a brassiere are molded individuaHy yet simultaneously,
20 using a dual bullet molding machine, wherein two identical
bullet molds for the desired size and shape cup are posi-
tioned adjacently side-by-side to one another. The blank is
positioned in a fully laid-open manner over a pair of
side-by-side adjacent cooperating cavities or wells, that have
25 a concave shape and are sized to cooperate with one of the
respective bullet molds, as in the single bullet molding
machine described above, and the two cups are simulta-
neously formed adjacent to one another in substantially the
same manner as described above for the single bullet
30 machine. Both bullet molds and/or both cavities of a dual
bullet molding machine can be heated. Both bullet molds
and their respectively associated cavities are interchange-
able on the dual bullet molding machine so that the size
and/or shape of the cups being molded can easily be changed
35 during a production run. The heated dual bullet dies are
pressed into the cup fabric to a predetermined distance to
heat the cup material and form the shaped cups. The per-
manent shape molding of the cup shape into the fabric of the
cups also occurs by the same thermally induced shape
40 memory process as previously described. After the cups
have been molded, the brassiere blank is substantially fin-
ished and is ready for final assembly of the garment.
Just prior to final assembly, including the installation of
closure devices or closure into a three-dimensional garment
45 in the case of a tubular style brassiere, and/or the installation
of straps as necessary, depending on the style of brassiere
being made, and while the garment cut from the blank is
still, except for the molded cups in the cup region, essen-
tially a two-dimensional blank, any desired decorative edge
50 finishing may optionally next be applied. As has been
previously stated, although bras made according to the
present invention have edges that are fully finished when the
garment is cut from the blank with substantially straight-cut,
linear edges, which edges, because they are glued together,
55 resist unraveling and do not require that the edges be
stitched, or the application of any type of edge binding
material, it may nevertheless be desired to provide a deco-
ratively shaped peripheral edge to the garment cut from a
blank. Such an edge may include, for example, but is not
60 limited to the provision of a scalloped edge around all or part
of the peripheral edge or outer perimeter of the garment.
Such a decorative edge can be provided by cutting the
desired shape into the fabric laminate at the edge of the
garment, around the outer edge of all or part of the garment,
65 as is desired. It is preferable to utilize a mechanical cutting
device, which is also preferably computer controlled and
guided, such as by being indexed or programmed to follow
US 6,837,771 B2
23
a predetermined outline of a blank for the desired size, shape
and style garment, in order to ensure symmetry and unifor-
mity of the resulting pattern-cut blank. Such a linear cutting
process, however, is very time consuming, or has a high
dwell time in the cutting machine. It is desirable to reduce
the cutting time as much as possible. One way to accomplish
this is to die-cut the edge design or pattern in a single step
punching operation, as is particularly shown in area g of
FIG. 7B.
Accordingly, it is still more preferable, however, in order
24
hooks and eyes or snaps arc used for a single garment.
Velcro® or hook-tape closures are usually provided as a
single continuous strip of each cooperating piece of the
paired assembly, such that the fabric backing strips are cut
to the desired length, although several smaller individual
sections, wherein each smaller section is a paired assembly,
can alternatively be used. Certain factors, such as the width
of the end panels for a given style brassiere, can affect the
decision as to how many paired closure assemblies to use.
10 For example, on a garment with narrower end panels, it may
be possible to incorporate only two assemblies, while on a
style with broader end panels designed to provide greater
back support, it may be possible to fit as many as four or five
paired closure assemblies. The hook and eye or snap closure
to save cutting time and to further assure symmetry,
uniformity, and consistency in the cut edge design, from
garment to garment, that the decorative outer edge pattern or
design be cut in a single step operation using a die cutting
machine, as is shown in area g of FIG. 7B. A die is first
prepared for each size garment, with the desired edge
pattern, scalloped or other, permanently cut into the die for
that garment. The straight-edge cut garment is then carefully
positioned over a platen of the machine and the die is
forcibly pressed or stamped down on the garment, to effec- 20
tively punch it out as a finished piece with the desired shaped
edge neatly, precisely, uniformly, and consistently cut into
the edge at whatever portions of, or on the entire periphery
15 devices are generally installed in a linear vertical pattern,
with all of the hooks 120 or male portions 125 of the snaps,
respectively, being at the end of one end panel, and all of the
eyes 121 or female portions 126 of the snaps on the end of
the opposite end paneL The hooks and eyes and snaps can be
installed on the garment in a number of ways, with stitching
being the most common. For the snap type closure devices,
each piece can alternatively be anchored to its respective end
panel using a grommet-anchoring piece 127, such as is
illustrated in FIG. 12B. It is also possible to glue or fuse the of, the edge that the pattern was present on the die.
individual elements of each pair to its respective end panel.
A Velcro® type closure device, consisting of a pair of
cooperating pieces or strips of material, with one piece being
a backing strip of material having a plurality of hundreds of
tiny hooks per square inch attached thereto, and the other
piece being a backing strip of material having a volume of
fuzzy, wool-like material adhered thereto for cooperation
and engagement with the plurality of hooks on the opposite
end.
As will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art, the 25
order of certain of the above manufacturing steps can be
changed without affecting the results. Specifically, the steps
following the hot-melt process for forming the fabric
laminate, including cutting the selvage from the blank to the
actual garment shape; breast cup molding; underwire inser- 30
tion and channel closure (where applicable, i.e., for under-
wire type brassieres); and final decorative edge cutting (if
desired), can be rearranged, so that, for example, the breast
cups are molded before the garment is cut out from the blank
(i.e., selvage area removed). With regard to FIGS. 7 A and B,
this would be reflected by perfonning the steps of areas e
and f of FIG. 7B before the step of area d of FIG. 7A.
Although each hook and eye piece of each paired assem-
35 bly and each of the male and female parts of a snap closure
device can be installed individually and separately on a
respective end of the garment, it is preferable to first attach
the desired multiples of paired assemblies to strips of fabric
180, which are then secured to the respective ends of the end After the edge-cutting step has been performed, the gar-
ment is ready. Indeed, for certain styles, almost no additional
processing steps are required. The simplest style, namely, a
tubular strapless style, requires only the joining and closure
of the back panels in order to be completed. This can be done
by stitching, gluing, or fusing the juxtaposed ends of the two
back panels together.
Other styles of bras, namely, both front and back closure
types, as well as those with straps, are also now ready for
installation of such closure devices and/or straps, as desired
for the particular type of brassiere being made.
For back closure style bras, typical closure devices used
include a plurality of devices selected from the group
consisting of "hook and eye" fasteners, as are illustrated in
FIG. 12a; snaps, as are illustrated in FIGS. 12B and C; and
a Velcro® type fabric closure device, also Y-Jlo\vn as a
"hook-tape" closure device.
As used herein, the term "paired assembly" as used in
reference to a closure device, means the two cooperating
members or elements of any given type of closure device.
Thus, for a hook and eye closure device, as paired assembly
includes one hook and one eye; for a snap type closure
device, a paired assembly includes one male and one female
element; and for a Velcro® or hook-tape type closure device,
a paired assembly includes one strip of material bearing a
plurality of micro-sized "hook" elements and another strip
of fabric bearing a mass of a dense, filamentous material
with which the hooks are capable of securely engaging.
Usually from two to four complete paired assemblies of
40 panels of the garment. The individual hook and eye pieces
can be attached to such fabric strips by stitching or gluing
them thereto. The individual pieces of a snap closure can
similarly be attached to fabric strips, or, alternatively, they
may be attached to a fabric strip using grommets. The fabric
45 strips are typically made from two plies of fabric with the
respective fastener pieces being sandwiched therebetween
both to provide a more secure way of anchoring them to the
strips and to prevent the backs of the pieces from protruding
in a way that may cause discomfort. Only the front of each
50 piece of a fastener extends from a front face of the fabric
strip so that it can cooperatively engage its corresponding
part. One edge of each fabric strip, namely, the edge that is
proximate to the edge of the end panel of the garment to
which it is secured, can be split into two flaps 185a) b, as is
55 shown in FIGS. 12A and C, in a so-called "lip-fold", so that
the strip can be more securely attached to the respective end
of the garment by surroundingly attaching the two flaps or
lips to the end of the garment, such that one flap or lip is on
either side of the end panel. The strips of a Velcro® type
60 closure device can be similarly made to have a dual flap or
lip-fold at one end of each piece to envelop the edge of the
garment. The fabric strips bearing the multiple parts of the
respective closure devices or Velcro® are permanently
affixed to the end of the garment by stitching, gluing, or
65 fusing the fabric to the fabric laminate of the end of the
garment. However any such closure device is attached to the
garment, it is desirable that it be capable of resisting at least
US 6,837,771 B2
25
30 pounds of tensile stress to avoid being torn from the
garment due to stress and strain while in a closed state when
the garment is being worn.
26
According to one preferred method of installation of a
barrel type front closure device, the respective pieces of a
barrel type closure device are typically attached to respec-
tive front ends of the brassiere so that the piece of the closure
device bearing the channel is positioned such that the open
end of the channel faces upward, so that the wearer can see
the open top end of the channel and easily slide the coop-
erating post on the opposite side of the brassiere down into
the channel. According to one embodiment, the piece of the
10 barrel closure device with the channel is attached to the left
In order to provide some adjustability to the size of the
garment, there is generally provided a redundant plurality of
one of the ends of the respective closure devices at various
positions longitudinally along the length of the rear of one
end panel of the garment, to account for the fact that
individuals of the same nominal size may be shaped
differently, and because any one individual's size may vary
over time or seasonally due to weight changes or fluid
retention, to enable the wearer to select the closure position
that provides the best custom fit for that individual at any
given time without having to purchase and maintain a
variety of garments of different sizes, and trying on various
ones each time, in order to achieve the best possible and 15
most comfortable fit. In the case of hook and eye type
fasteners, typically a redundant plurality of the eye pieces
are provided at various longitudinal positions along the
length of the back of the garment, with, as is shown in FIG.
12A; all of the eye pieces being mounted to a single strip of 20
fabric which is attached to the end of the end panel of the
garment; for snap type fasteners, typically a redundancy of
the female pieces is provided (not shown); and for a Velcro®
type closure device, it is typically a plurality of sections of
the fuzzy, hook-catching end that is provided, either as 25
separate sections or a one continuous panel encompassing
the width of the adjustable portion along the length of the
end panel (not shown).
Although any of the foregoing types of closure devices,
including plural pairs of cooperating hooks and eyes, male 30
and female snap parts, and Velcro® or hook-tape strips, can
also be utilized as closure devices for front closure type
brassieres, often, different closure devices specifically made
for front-closure type bras are used.
One such closure device developed specifically for front-
35
closure style bras is the slide, twist and snap barrel catch as
is shown in FIG. 13A. One piece 130 of the device contains
a chute or channel 131 that is typically substantially circular
cylindrically shaped, with one open end 132 and with partial
gaps or openings 133 in a front face portion of the wall of
the channel 134, and with portions of the wall of the channel 40
biased slightly inward toward the channel to provide locking
tension against a post member mounted on a cooperating,
opposite piece of the closure device that is subsequently
inserted into the channel to effect closure of the garment.
Attached to a side of the channel-containing piece 130 of the 45
closure device, at a side thereof that is to be adjacent to its
respective open end of the garment to which it is to be
attached, is a ring or other means 135 by which the end of
that piece of the device can be attached to the edge of one
open front end piece of the bra, in the region between the 50
cups. The cooperating opposite piece 136 of this closure
device includes a post or rail 137 that is substantially
circularly cylindrical shaped to cooperate with the chute or
channel 131 of the opposite piece. Attached to a side of the
post-bearing piece 136 of the closure device, at a side 55
thereof that is to be adjacent to its respective open end of the
garment to which it is to be attached, is a ring or other means
138 by which the end of that piece of the device can be
attached to the edge of the open front end piece of the
brassiere on the side opposite to that to which the channel 60
portion of the closure device is attached, in the region
between the cups. Although the parts of a barrel type front
closure device can be installed to the respective sides of the
front sections of the brassiere in any manner, it has been
found that installing them such that the open end of the 65
channel piece faces upward facilitates opening and closing
the device.
front side end of the brassiere (right side, as viewed from the
front), with the open end of the channel at the top, and the
piece of the closure device with the cooperating post is
attached on the right front side end of the brassiere (left side,
as viewed from the front). To effect closure of the garment,
the wearer, after putting on the bra, first grasps the end of the
garment bearing the post and vertically slides the post
downwardly into the channel at an angle up to approxi-
mately a right angle with the front of the channel to bring the
two ends of the barrel closure device and the brassiere
together; rotates the post and that end of the brassiere so that
the post rotates in the channel until the two ends of the
brassiere are in substantially the same plane, i.e., at about a
180° angle with respect to one another; and then snaps or
clicks the post-bearing piece of the closure device into the
channel-bearing piece to lock the two ends together.
To open the device in order to remove the garment, the
post end 136 is first unsnapped or unclicked to release it
from its locked position in the channel 131, the post 137,
together with the end of the garment to which it is attached
is then rotated to approximately a right angle with the
opposite end of the garment with the channel piece 130 and
the post piece 136 and its end of the garment is then
vertically slid upward and out of the channel.
A complete and fully assembled brassiere of the front-
closure style, with shoulder straps, and having a barrel type
front closure device, is illustrated in FIG. 14.
A variation of the above-described post and channel
"barrel" type front closure device, wherein the two parts
cooperate in substantially the same manner as described
above for the barrel type front closure device, but wherein
the cooperating channel and post pieces are of an essentially
fiat, rather than cylindrical shape, is shown in FIG. 13B. The
parts of a fiat front closure device, having numbers corre-
sponding to those of the barrel type front closure device, but
different by 10 (e.g., 140=130, 141=142, etc.) have identical
or substantially similar and equivalent functions as
described above for the numbered parts of the barrel type
front closure device.
Both the barrel type and the fiat type of front closure
devices are typically made from plastic. Generally, a hard,
rigid or semi-rigid plastic, such as a polystyrene is used for
the elements of these type closures. The plastic should also
have sufficient resiliency to enable it to flex or give as the
two cooperating parts are snapped together and be suffi-
ciently strong to resist cracking or breaking, even after
repeated cycles of opening and closing of the device.
Generally, because the front closure devices are slightly
bulkier than the previously described types of closure
devices used for back-closing brassieres, because there is
generally less space in the inter-cup region of the front of the
brassiere than along the end panels at the back of the
brassiere, and because it would be more uncomfortable to
have additional closure elements attached at the front of the
bra, where they might press or pinch the softer, more tender
breast tissue, front-closing bras typically have only a single
US 6,837,771 B2
27 28
laminates that enable the manufacture of garments that arc
still considered to be made from a single main piece,
notwithstanding that the single main piece can be made from
a number of different, but compatible, types of fabrics, both
as to the horizontally adjacent sections of the garment and as
to the vertically adjacent layers of a multi-layer fabric
laminate.
The hot-melt technique utilized in the preparation of the
multi-layer fabric laminates of the present invention wherein
closing device and thus have a slight disadvantage in not
having as much size adjustability as a back-closing bra.
Front-closing brassieres, however, are often much more
practical for handicapped individuals, such as women with
disability to their upper arms and/or hands, due to injury or
diseases, such as arthritis, that may make it difficult or
impossible for them to reach around their back to fasten the
garment. Front closing brassieres with barrel catch type front
closure devices, moreover, may be simpler and easier to
fasten for women whose manual dexterity may be compro-
mised.
10 the several layers of the fabric laminate may be made from
either the same or different fabrics, but wherein any given
layer of the laminate is the same fabric over the entire
surface of the laminate and thus also of the fabric blank and
It may also be desired to manufacture a single main piece
undergarment that is fabricated from a composite fabric
laminate wherein not only different layers of fabric that
comprise the laminate may be made of different fabrics, as 15
disclosed and discussed for the preceding embodiments of
the invention, but wherein even different surfaces or areas of
the garment, laterally adjacent to one another along the
surface of the garment, are made of different fabrics. Dif-
ferent layers of the fabric laminate, transverse to one 20
another, may also be made of the same or different fabrics,
as in the above previously described embodiments. As used
herein, the term "composite fabric laminate" refers to a
fabric laminate wherein abutting sections of a single fabric
layer are composed of different fabrics, which may be the 25
same or different from one layer to another. This is to
distinguish a "composite" fabric laminate from a "simple"
fabric laminate or just fabric laminate wherein any given
layer of the laminate is made from only a single fabric, and
the fabric may differ only from one entire layer to another 30
and not within a single given layer.
the final resulting garment made therefrom,
, as disclosed and described
hereinabove for the above-described embodiments of the
invention, lend themselves to excellent adaptation to the
fabrication of composite multi-layer fabric laminates.
In order to dispense with the need to sew the various
modules of a composite fabric garment together, as has just
been described to be the conventional technique of the prior
art so as to eliminate the need for multiple seam lines in the
final garment, and thereby also overcome the unaesthetic
and uncomfortable aspects of most prior art composite fabric
garments, the hereinabove described method for manufac-
turing multi-layer fabric laminates with entire single fabric
layers of one fabric, it is necessary to be able to attach
different fabrics to one another in a side-by side, edgewise
adjacent manner, as well as in a surface-to-surface manner
as is accomplished in the fabric laminates of the present
invention already described hereinabove.
We have discovered that the highly favorable and benefi-
cial aspect of garments constructed from fabric laminates
made according to the present invention whereby the edges
of the finished garment are highly resistant to unraveling and
do not require seams or edge binding tapes, because of the
excellent adhesion of the fabric layers in fabric laminates
made according to the hereinabove described hot-melt
process, and because of the provision of a selvage in the
early blanks, which is later removed, as has been described,
to further ensure that the edge of the final blank and garment
made therefrom is completely and securely glued, that
composite fabric laminate can be similarly made wherein the
abutting edges of different fabrics on a particular surface of
the composite fabric laminate do not split or separate,
especially as the composite fabric laminate is repeatedly
flexed or folded along such joints. Moreover, the joint or
"seams" between the different fabrics are virtually invisible,
do not add bulk to the garment, and can even be made in a
variety of shapes and are not limited to straight lines. In
order to achieve this virtually "seamless" appearance, adja-
cent fabrics should be overlapped at the line of juncture
before being cut. The overlapped fabrics should then be cut
together along the desired line. As mentioned, the line need
not be a straight line, but can be composed of a plurality of
straight line segments (e.g., zig-zag), or may be simple or
complex arcuate or curvilinear (e.g., scalloped). Where at
least one layer of a composite fabric laminate is to be made
from only a single fabric, and that layer is adjacent to the one
or more other composite fabric layer(s) of the composite
fabric laminate, the continuity of such single fabric layer is
generally sufficient to provide sufficient backing or support
For example, it may be desired to fabricate a brassiere
wherein an entire first layer of a two fabric layer fabric
laminate that will become the inner surface on the interior of
the finished garment facing the wearer's skin, is made of 35
cotton for comfort reasons, while it may be desired that the
second layer of the fabric laminate that will become the
outer surface on the exterior of the garment facing outwardly
away from the wearer, be made of a cotton polyester in the
region of the cups, so as to provide some stretch and control 40
without becoming too tight on the sensitive, softer tissue in
the breast region, and of a spandex around the remainder of
the garment, including the sides and back portions, so as to
provide maximum control in those areas where firmer sup-
port will not be unduly comfortable. Previously, the fabri- 45
cation of such types of composite material garments was
difficult and the results were often unacceptable from both
the manufacturer's perspective as well as the wearer's
perspective. Previous composite fabric garments were oner-
ous to manufacture and required the fabrication of separate, 50
modular sections of the garment, where each section gen-
erally could be made from only a single fabric. The indi-
vidual sections then had to be assembled into the complete
garment, usually be sev;ing the various sections together,
which was a very time and labor intensive process, and was 55
often unsatisfactory to the wearer from both an aesthetic
viewpoint since the resulting garment necessarily had a
plurality of vertical seams around the perimeter of the
garment where the individual modular sections were stitched
together, which detracted from if not completely destroyed 60
the "invisible" look of the garment since such seam lines
were usually visible through the wearer's outer clothing; and
from a comfort viewpoint because the plurality of seam lines
generally tended to cause rubbing and chafing of the wear-
er's skin. 65 for the composite fabric layers when the overall laminate is
assembled and glued together. Where all layers of a multi-
layer composite fabric laminate, however, are made from
Accordingly, still other embodiments of the present
invention relate to the preparation of such composite fabric
US 6,837,771 B2
29
composite fabric combinations, it may still be possible to
assemble and glue the final composite fabric laminate
together without requiring the insertion of any "bridging"
materials where the "seam" lines of adjacently different
fabrics can be staggered from layer to layer of the final
laminate so that such "seam" lines do not directly overlap or
coincide with one another from one layer to another, since
that would not provide adequate lateral support for enabling
the adjacent fabrics to adhere to one another simultaneously
on all layers of the laminate. Where, for whatever reasons, 10
either mechanical and/or aesthetic, it is not possible to
stagger the "seam" lines of abutting different fabrics in any
given layer from one layer to another, but two or more or all
sections of each layer of the garment are required or desired
to have their "seam" lines aligned with one another (the last 15
mentioned situation, where the seam lines of all layers of all
sections are aligned being analogous to the "modular"
sections fabricated for prior art composite fabric garments),
ii is necessary io use inserts of other materials between the
layers of the composite fabric laminate to act as "bridging" 20
material to provide adequate lateral basis for securely adher-
ing all of the several horizontally or laterally abutting fabrics
30
and a gore or control insert is also required and thus serve
a dual function.
The material used for the bridging pieces generally should
not itself have a high elasticity, and, in any case, should have
a lower modulus of elasticity than the fabrics that are being
bridged.
Typical materials used for the bridging pieces include
cotton, nylon and polyester.
The bridging material insert pieces can alternatively be
partial or continuous over the entire length of a joint or
"seam" line between different abutting fabrics. Where they
are not continuous, generally a plurality of pieces are used
at predetermined intervals over the length of a joint line.
After the elements of the composite fabric laminate blank
are assembled, including the various abutting fabrics of
every layer, for each layer of the laminate, together with any
bridging pieces and/or other inserted materials, such as, for
example, channels and their associated undervvires, gores,
and control insert panels for a brassiere, or control insert
panels for a panty, and the adhesive material, as a web or
otherwise, the final composite fabric laminate blank is glued
together in a hot-melt heat treatment step, and further
fabricated and finished as necessary, according to the steps
of each layer of the composite fabric laminate, as well as the
vertically adjacent fabrics of the several layers of the com-
posite fabric laminate, simultaneously to one another.
The technique of "bridging" abutting different fabrics of
an individual layer and adjacent different fabrics of different
layers is, however, relatively easy and utilizes an adaptation
25
appropriate for the type of garment being made as previ-
ously disclosed and discussed hereinabove for other embodi-
ments of the invention using other simple fabric laminates
prepared according to the invention. Although the assembly
steps for preparing blanks of composite fabric laminates are of the technique of inserting various stability, control, and
shape providing materials in the "simple" fabric laminates of 30
the present invention as previously described. The "bridg-
ing" technique involves the insertion of bridging pieces of
material between layers of the composite fabric laminate at
all coinciding "seam" lines of abutting different fabrics
wherever adjacent layers of the composite fabric laminate 35
are themselves made from different fabrics and at least one
of the adjacent layers is not itself made from one continuous
piece of a single fabric. Notwithstanding that the adhesive
used to adhere the abutting different fabrics and adjacent
different fabric layers of a composite fabric laminate accord- 40
ing to the present invention may be in the form of a pre-cut
blank of a thermoplastic adhesive resin web material, which
spans all of the abutting different fabrics and adjacent
different fabric layers when the composite fabric laminate
blank is assembled for heat treatment to adhere the various 45
fabrics and layers, the adhesive web blank and the adhesive
material contained therein, even after the web melts to
supply the molten adhesive, which in turns cools and sets to
glue the various fabrics and layers together, generally does
not itself provide sufficient lateral backing or support for the 50
composite fabric laminate in any of its web, molten, or set
states, thereby necessitating the insertion of the "bridging"
material pieces.
more labor intensive than for simple fabric laminates, it is
still nevertheless possible to automate or semi-automate the
process, using various mechanized and preferably computer-
controlled assembly and manufacturing techniques and
devices that will be apparent to persons of even ordinary
skill in the art.
Referring now generally to FIGS. 16A-H, several
examples of various types of composite fabric laminates
prepared according to the present invention, as just
described, are illustrated.
FIG. 16A is an exploded side cross-sectional view of a
two-fabric-layer composite fabric laminate according to the
present invention, wherein a first fabric layer 30 is made of
a composite of alternating sections of two different abutting
fabrics 30a, 30b and the second fabric layer 34 is made of
a continuous piece of a single fabric which may be the same
as or different from any of the fabrics used in the composite
first fabric layer, and which acts as a supporting layer for the
different fabrics of the first layer, such that bridging pieces
are not required. A layer of adhesive material 32, which may
be an adhesive web is also shown, such that the adhesive
material will be in contact with the entire contacting facing
surfaces of the two fabric layers of the composite fabric
laminate when it is heat treated, and such that the two fabric
The bridging material pieces inserted between layers of
abutting and adjacent fabrics are similar to the gores and
control inserts of other herein previously described embodi-
ments of the invention. Although the bridging material
pieces do not necessarily have to provide control or shape to
the laminate and garment made therefrom, and so do not
have to have the properties required of those materials, but
merely act as a physical bridge or anchor for the various
fabrics where they come together, and so are preferably
made from any lightweight, pliable material with a suffi-
ciently high tensile strength to resist tearing, they may
nevertheless be made from the same materials used for a
gore or control inserts of a garment, especially a brassiere,
in those places where the need to provide a bridging piece
layers \Vill be glued together over their entire corresponding
55 surfaces in the final composite fabric laminate, blank, and
garment produced therefrom.
FIG. 16B is an exploded side cross-sectional view of a
two-fabric-layer composite fabric laminate according to the
present invention that is configured substantially identically
60 to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 16A, but wherein
bridging insert pieces 45a, b are nevertheless utilized to
provide additional support and backing for the different
abutting fabrics 30a, b of the first fabric layer 30.
FIG. 16C is an exploded side cross-sectional view of a
65 two-fabric-layer composite fabric laminate according to the
present invention, wherein both the first fabric layer 30 and
the second fabric layer 34 are made of a composite of
US 6,837,771 B2
31
alternating sections of two different abutting fabrics 30a,
30b and 34a, 34b, which, with respect to the two layers, may
be all or partially the same fabrics or are all different fabrics,
wherein the "seam" lines between abutting fabrics in the first
fabric layer do not align and coincide with, or are "stag-
gered" with the "seam" lines between abutting fabrics in the
second fabric layer, so that bridging inserts are not required
to provide stability and supporting surfaces to hold the
abutting fabrics and the adjacent fabric layers together in the
final assembled and glued composite fabric laminate,
because the seams of one layer do not overlap with the
seams of another layer, but have a continuous section of
fabric of another layer therebeneath for support and stability.
A layer of adhesive material 32, which may be an adhesive
web is also shown, such that the adhesive material will be in
contact with the entire contacting facing surfaces of the two
fabric layers of the composite fabric laminate when it is heat
treated, and such that the two fabric layers will be glued
together over their entire corresponding surfaces in the final
composite fabric laminate, blank, and garment produced
therefrom.
FIG. 16D is an exploded side cross-sectional view of a
two-fabric-layer composite fabric laminate according to the
present invention, wherein both the first fabric layer 30 and
the second fabric layer 34 are made of a composite of
alternating sections of two different abutting fabrics 30a,
30b and 34a, 34b, which, with respect to the two layers, may
be all or partially the same fabrics or are all different fabrics,
wherein the "seam" lines between abutting fabrics in the first
fabric layer align and coincide with the "seam" lines
between abutting fabrics in the second fabric layer, so that
bridging inserts are not required to provide stability and
supporting surfaces to hold the abutting fabrics and the
adjacent fabric layers together in the final assembled and
glued composite fabric laminate, because the seams of one
layer do not overlap with the seams of another layer. A layer
of adhesive material 32, which may be an adhesive web is
also shov;n, such that the adhesive material \Vill be in contact
32
FIG. 16F is an exploded side cross-sectional view of still
another two-fabric-layer composite fabric laminate accord-
ing to the present invention, wherein both the first fabric
layer 30 and the second fabric layer 34 are made of a
composite of alternating sections of two different abutting
fabrics 30a, 30b and 34a, 34b, which, with respect to the two
layers, may be all or partially the same fabrics or are all
different fabrics, wherein the "seam" lines between abutting
fabrics in the first fabric layer align and coincide with the
10 "seam" lines between abutting fabrics in the second fabric
layer, so that bridging inserts 45a, b are required to provide
stability and supporting surfaces to hold the abutting fabrics
and the adjacent fabric layers together in the final assembled
and glued composite fabric laminate, which is, however, not
15 completely glued over the entire facing surfaces of the two
composite fabric layers, and is not glued in certain selected
portions. A layer of adhesive material 32, which may be an
adhesive web, is also shown, such that adhesive is present
only in certain designated portions 32a and is absent in other
20 designated portions 32b, such that the adhesive material will
be in contact with only selected portions of the entire
contacting facing surfaces of the two fabric layers of the
composite fabric laminate when it is heat treated, and such
that the two fabric layers will be glued together over only
25 those portions of their entire corresponding surfaces that are
exposed to and are in communication with the adhesive in
the final composite fabric laminate, blank, and garment
produced therefrom, and the two fabric layers will not be
glued together or adhere in those portions that have not been
30 exposed to adhesive. In this embodiment of a composite
fabric laminate according to the present invention, it is also
necessary to provide bridging material insert pieces to
provide stability and supporting surfaces to hold the abutting
fabrics and the adjacent fabric layers together in the final
35 assembled and glued composite fabric laminate. The bridg-
ing material insert pieces are shown here as being provided
on both sides of the adhesive material 45a-d, although,
alternatively, the bridging material insert pieces could be
provided only on one or the other sides of the adhesive
with the entire contacting facing surfaces of the two fabric
layers of the composite fabric laminate when it is heat
treated, and such that the two fabric layers will be glued
together over their entire corresponding surfaces in the final
composite fabric laminate, blank, and garment produced
therefrom. In this embodiment of a composite fabric lami-
nate according to the present invention, it is generally
sufficient that the bridging insert pieces be placed between
one of the fabric layers and the adhesive material (the inserts 45
are shown between the first fabric layer 30 and the adhesive
material 34 in FIG. 16D) when the composite fabric lami-
nate is assembled, since in the course of heat-treating the
assembled fabric laminate blank, wherein the adhesive is
first melted and then sets to glue together the various fabrics 50
of the several layers, as well as any other materials inserted
therebetween, the adhesive will come to surround both sides
40 material, between either one of the fabric layers and the
adhesive material, analogous to the embodiment shown in
FIG. 16d or as described as an alternative thereto.
Still other variations of composite fabric laminates
according to the present invention, including, but not limited
to composite fabric laminates having greater than two fabric
layers, not here illustrated, will be apparent to persons of
ordinary skill in the art from the foregoing.
While the present invention is disclosed with reference to
specific embodiments and the particular details thereof, it is
not intended that those details be construed as limiting the
scope of the invention, which is defined by the following
claims.
of the bridging pieces and also contact the facing surfaces of
the adjacent fabric layers so that a sufficiently strong bond
forms as between the bridging material inserts and both 55
fabric layers. In a variant of this embodiment, not shown, the
bridging material insert pieces could instead be inserted
between the second fabric layer 34 and the adhesive material
32. As a still further alternative, however, separate bridging
pieces 45a-d are inserted on both sides of the adhesive 32, 60
proximate to the abutting fabrics of each of the adjacent
fabric layers 30, 34, so as to provide even greater stability
and additional contacting surfaces for all of the fabric
elements, as is shown in FIG. 16E, which is an exploded side
cross-sectional view of this embodiment of composite fabric 65
laminate, which is otherwise identical to that shown in FIG.
16d.
What is claimed is:
1. A method of forming an undergarment comprising:
inserting an adhesive layer between a first fabric layer and
a second fabric layer to form a fabric composite, said
composite having a periphery that is larger than an
outer periphery of the undergarment;
causing said adhesive layer to form a laminate from said
composite; and
removing a selvage from said laminate at said outer
periphery to form a self finished edge of the
undergarment, wherein said self finished edge is a cut
edge.
2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the undergarment is
a brassiere.
US 6,837,771 B2
33
3. The method as in claim 1, wherein said self finished
edge resists unraveling.
4. The method as in claim 1, wherein said self finished
edge has a shape selected from the group consisting of a
straight edge, a scalloped edge, and any combination
thereof.
5. The method as in claim 1, wherein said selvage is
between about one half of an inch and an inch.
6. The method as in claim 1, wherein removing said
selvage from said laminate comprises moving a cutting
10
device along said outer periphery.
34
24. The method as in claim 23, wherein said desired shape
defines a breast cup region of the undergarment.
25. The method as in claim 23, further comprising gluing
or fusing a first region of said self finished edge to a second
region of said self finished edge to form a continuous closed
tubular undergarment.
26. The method as in claim 20, further comprising insert-
ing a fabric member between said first fabric layer and said
adhesive layer.
27. The method as in claim 26, wherein said fabric
member is selected from the group consisting of an under-
wire channel, a gore, a fabric panel, a bridging piece, and
any combination thereof.
7. The method as in claim 1, wherein removing said
selvage from said laminate comprises punching a die into
said laminate wherein said die corresponds to said outer
periphery.
8. The method as in claim 1, wherein said adhesive layer
only bonds said first and second fabric layers together in a
selected region so that a non-bonded region is formed.
28. The method as in claim 26, wherein said fabric
15 member is an underwire channel.
29. The method as in claim 28, further comprising insert-
ing an underwire into said underwire channel before or after
forming said laminate. 9. The method as in claim 8, wherein said non-bonded
region is a breast cup region.
10. The method as in claim 1, further comprising molding
a portion of said laminate to a desired shape after causing
said adhesive layer to form said laminate.
30. The method as in claim 20, wherein said first fabric
20 layer defines an exterior layer or an interior layer of the
undergarment.
11. The method as in claim 1, wherein said desired shape
defines a breast cup region of the undergarment.
12. The method as in claim 1, further comprising gluing 25
or fusing a first region of said self finished edge to a second
region of said self finished edge to form a continuous closed
tubular undergarment.
13. The method as in claim 1, further comprising inserting
a fabric member between said first fabric layer and said
30 adhesive layer.
14. The method as in claim 13, wherein said fabric
member is selected from the group consisting of an under-
wire channel, a gore, a fabric panel, a bridging piece, and
any combination of the foregoing.
15. The method as in claim 13, wherein said fabric 35
member is an under\vire channel.
16. The method as in claim 15, further comprising insert-
ing an underwire into said underwire channel before or after
causing said adhesive layer to form said laminate.
17. The method as in claim 1, wherein said first fabric 40
layer defines an exterior layer or an interior layer of the
undergarment.
18. The method as in claim 1, further comprising abutting
31. The method as in claim 20, further comprising abut-
ting a first fabric to a second fabric to form at least one of
said first and second fabric la ye rs.
32. The method as in claim 31, further comprising insert-
ing a bridging piece between said first fabric layer and said
adhesive layer at a juncture of said first and second fabrics.
33. A method of forming an undergarment comprising:
forming an adhesive layer having an adhesive-free por-
tion;
surrounding said adhesive layer with a first fabric layer
and a second fabric layer;
causing said adhesive layer to bond said first and second
fabric layers together to form a laminate, said laminate
having a periphery that is larger than an outer periphery
of the undergarment; and
cutting said laminate along said outer periphery to form a
cut edge that defines a self finished edge of the under-
garment that resists unraveling, wherein said adhesive-
free portion defines a non-bonded region of said first
and second fabric layers.
34. The method as in claim 33, wherein said non-bonded
region is a breast cup region. a first fabric to a second fabric to form at least one of said
first and second fabric layers. 45 35. The method as in claim 34, further comprising mold-
ing said non-bonded region to a desired shape after forming
said laminate.
36. The method as in claim 35, wherein said desired shape
defines a breast cup of the undergarment.
19. The method as in claim 18, further comprising insert-
ing a bridging piece between said first fabric layer and said
adhesive layer at a juncture of said first and second fabrics.
20. A method of forming an undergarment comprising:
applying an adhesive layer to a first fabric layer;
overlying said adhesive layer with a second fabric layer;
causing said adhesive layer to bond said first and second
50
37. The method as in claim 36, further comprising gluing
or fusing a first region of said self finished edge to a second
region of said self finished edge to form a continuous closed
tubular undergarment. fabric layers together to form a laminate, said laminate
having a periphery that is larger than an outer periphery
of the undergarment; and
cutting said laminate along said outer periphery to form a
self finished edge of the undergarment that resists
unraveling, wherein said self finished edge is a cut
edge.
55
21. The method as in claim 20, wherein said adhesive 60
layer only bonds said first and second fabric layers together
in a selected region so that a non-bonded region is formed.
22. The method as in claim 21, wherein said non-bonded
region is a breast cup region.
23. The method as in claim 20, further comprising mold- 65
ing a portion of said laminate to a desired shape after
forming said laminate.
38. A method of forming an undergarment comprising:
inserting an adhesive layer between a first fabric layer and
a second fabric layer;
causing said adhesive layer to form a laminate from said
first and second fabric layers, said laminate having a
periphery that is larger than an outer periphery of the
undergarment;
cutting said laminate along said outer periphery to form a
cut edge that defines a self finished edge of the under-
garment; and
gluing or fusing a first region of said self finished edge to
a second region of said self finished edge so that the
undergarment is a continuous closed tubular undergar-
ment.
US 6,837,771 B2
35
39. A method of forming an undergarment comprising:
abutting a first fabric to a second fabric to form a first
fabric layer;
inserting an adhesive layer between said first fabric layer
and a second fabric layer;
causing said adhesive layer to bond said first and second
fabric layers together to form a laminate, said laminate
36
having a periphery that is larger than an outer periphery
of the undergarment; and
cutting said laminate along said outer periphery to form a
cut edge that defines a self finished edge of the under-
garment that resists unraveling.
* * * * *