Brassiere with yieldable side panel construction

Claim 2

A brassiere including: two cups; body encircling means; and shoulder straps extending from a point in juxtaposition to said cups to a point along said body encircling means; said body encircling means including a main panel portion constructed of yieldable, but substantially inelastic material over a major extent thereof, said main panel portion operably connected to the outer edges of said cups, said main panel portion oriented such that the predominent direction of elongation of said yieldable material is in a substantially horizontal direction with respect to the body of a wearer when the brassiere is worn; said brassiere when off the body of the wearer being of a length less than the circumference of the torso of said wearer with the yieldable material of said main panel portion distending when emplaced on the body of the wearer such that said body encircling means fits the circumference of the Torso and a portion of the ability of said yieldable material to distend is immediately employed upon emplacement of said brassiere on the body, said yieldable material retaining the further ability to distend in response to chest expansion of the wearer and elastic means along preselected peripheral areas of said main panel to impart a degree of recovery and positional stability to said yieldable material.

Claim 3

A brassiere as claimed in claim 1 wherein said elastic means includes bordering tapes along the periphery of at least the portion of upper and lower edges of said main body panel.

Claim 4

A brassiere as claimed in claim 1 wherein said main panel portion comprises a first side panel extending from a line of juxtaposition to the outer ledge of one of said cups to a point along the back of a wearer and a second side panel extending from a line of juxtaposition to the outer edge of the other of said cups to a point along the back of a wearer; each of said side panels having an upper edge, a lower edge, a forward edge in juxtaposition to said outer cup edge; and a rear edge; and means to operably connect said first and second side panels to form said main panel portion.

Claim 5

A brassiere as claimed in claim 3 wherein said elastic means includes bordering tapes along the periphery of at least a portion of said upper and lower edges of each of said side panels.

Claim 6

A brassiere as claimed in claim 4 wherein said upper edge of each of said side panels is arcuate and said lower edge of each of said side panels is relatively straight.

Claim 7

A brassiere as claimed in claim 5 wherein said rear edge of each of said side panels is arcuate.

Claim 8

A brassiere as claimed in claim 6 wherein said rear edge of each of said side panels includes a bordering tape operably linked to a said shoulder strap of said brassiere.

Claim 9

A brassiere as claimed in claim 7 wherein rear edge bordering tape is elastic along the direction of said rear edge.

Claim 10

A brassiere as claimed in claim 1 wherein said main panel portion is connected to said outer edges of said cups along an inelastic border.

Claim 11

A brassiere as claimed in claim 1 wherein said yieldable, but substantially inelastic material has the ability to elongate in one direction and is substantially non-yieldable in a direction 90* to said yieldable direction.

Claim 12

A brassiere as claimed in claim 10 wherein said material is tricot.

Claim 13

A brassiere including: two cups, a first side panel extending from the outer edge of one of said cups; a second side panel extending from the outer edge of the other of said cups; each of said side panels including an upper edge, a lower edge, a forward edge in juxtaposition to its respective outer cup edge, and a rear edge; closure means adapted to operably connect said first and second side panels to form a body encircling band; shoulder straps extending from an operable connected relationship to a respective one of said cups to a respective rear edge of said side panel; a substantial portion of each of said side panels including a yieldable, but substantially inelastic material, said material oriented such that its predominant direction of elongation is in a substantially horizontal direction with respect to the body of a wearer when the brassiere is worn; said upper and rear edge of each of said side panels being arcuate; bordering means along the upper, lower and rear edges of each of said side panels; said bordering means along said upper and lower edges being elastic in the direction of its respective edge; each is said rear edges operably linked to its respective shoulder strap; said brassiere when off the body of the wearer being of a length less than the circumference of the torso of said wearer with said yieldable material being stressed when emplaced on the body of the wearer such that a portion of the ability of said yieldable material is immediately employed such that said brassiere fits the circumference of the torso, said yieldable material retaining the further ability to distend in response to chest expansion of the wearer.

Claim 14

A brassiere including: two cups, a first side panel extending from the outer edge of one of said cups; a second side panel extending from the outer edge of the other of said cups; each of said side panels including an upper edge, a lower edge, a forward edge in juxtaposition to its respective outer cup edge, and a rear edge; closure means adapted to operably connect said first and second side panels to form a body encircling band; shoulder straps extending from an operable connected relationship to a respective one of said cups to a respective rear edge of said side panel; a substantial portion of each of said side panels including a yieldable, but substantially inelastic material, said material oriented such that its predominant direction of elongation is in a substantially horizontal direction with respect to the body of a wearer when the brassiere is worn; said upper and rear edge of each of said side panels being arcuate; bordering means along the upper, lower and rear edges of each of said side panels; said bordering means along said upper and lower edges being elastic in the direction of its respective edge; each is said rear edges operably linked to its respective shoulder strap; said brassiere when off the body of the wearer being of a length less than the circumference of the torso of said wearer with said yieldable material being stressed when emplaced on the body of the wearer such that a portion of the ability of said yieldable material is immediately employed such that said brassiere fits the circumference of the torso, said yieldable material retaining the further ability to distend in response to chest expansion of the wearer.