The present invention relates to a breast support, and to a method of providing a breast support.

Conventional breast supports are available in a variety of types, many of which may be categorized as underwire bras. An underwire bra comprises a thin, substantially 2D U- shaped strip of rigid material fitted inside the brassiere fabric under each cup. Although plastic underwires are available, most underwires are metallic in view of the support and rigidity offered by a metal underwire. A metallic underwire is generally a thin strip of metal.

Prior art brassieres are made in a selection of predetermined combinations of cup sizes and torso sizes, and a woman selects a size that most closely relates to her specific body shape and ratio between her cup size and torso size. However, the best fit is not necessarily a perfect fit.

In addition to women varying in torso size and cup size, also the size and shape of the breast root differs. However the size of the underwire for a specific bra is predetermined by the producer, and the only influence a consumer has is by opting for a brand that is known to have underwires that are relatively wider or narrower shaped. For example, narrow roots place the breasts more front and center on the torso, in that the root will end right before, or just under, the armpits. Women with narrow roots may therefore have a problem with bras that have too wide underwires. Particularly with larger cup sizes, the wires can wrap all the way around to the back. Too wide wires can also flatten out the breasts, and cause wrinkling at the bottom of the bra cups.

There is a need for breast supports having improved user comfort and/or providing improved support functionality.

An object of the present invention is to provide a breast support, that is improved relative to the prior art and wherein at least one of the above stated problems is obviated.

Said object is achieved with the breast support according to the present invention, comprising:

- a chest portion and a breast portion, wherein at least one of:

- the chest portion is shaped in correspondence with a 3D contour of a female human torso underneath the breast; and

- the breast portion is shaped in correspondence with a 3D contour of a breast of a female user;

- wherein said chest portion and said breast portion are connected and together define an elongate body that extends between a first end that is configured to be arranged between the breasts of the user and a second end that is configured to be arranged near a user’s armpit, - wherein at said first end of said elongate body, said chest portion faces the chest between the breasts, and said breast portion faces the breast; and

- wherein at said second end of said elongate body, said chest portion and said breast portion both face an outer side of a transition area of breast and rib cage.

The 3D contour of a female human torso underneath the breast, which is preferably measured at the breast root, will result in a chest portion having a 3D shape similar to the user’s body. In this way, an improved match may be obtained between the curvature of the user’s torso and the shape of the chest portion. User comfort is significantly improved relative to the 2D U-shaped rigid metallic underwires used in most conventional brassieres. Forcing a 2D U- shape rigid metallic underwire around a 3D body causes distress, especially at the ends of the underwire and at the part where the underwire applies pressure on the rib cage.

The support further comprises a breast portion that is preferably shaped in correspondence with a 3D contour of a female breast, wherein said breast portion and said chest portion are connected and together define an elongate body. In this way, optimal support may be obtained corresponding to the shape and size of a breast.

Said breast portion and said chest portion are connected and together define an elongate body that extends between a first end that is configured to be arranged between the breasts of the user and a second end that is configured to be arranged near a user’s armpit, wherein, at said first end of said elongate body, said chest portion faces the chest between the breasts, and said breast portion faces the breast, and wherein, at said second end of said elongate body, said chest portion and said breast portion both face an outer side of a transition area of breast and rib cage. In this way, the elongate body is optimally designed to provide - in a comfortable way - stiffness at the first end, and optimal directional support and comfort at the second end. The directional support provides a supportive force that is directed substantially from the second end towards the first end, thereby pushing the breasts inward, i.e. towards each other. In this way, the breasts will be directed to the front of the woman’s body, with minimum to no sideward extension of the breast outside the woman’s silhouette when viewed in a frontal or rear view. The elongate body provides a 3D shape towards the cup of the garment, contrary to a conventional U-shaped underwire that is only providing rigidity in a 2D direction. An additional advantage is obtained during movement. With each step a woman takes, her breasts move not just up and down, but also sideways in a figure of eight motion. The directional support is directed to counteract this sideways motion.

According to a preferred embodiment, a cross section of said elongate body gradually varies from the first end of the elongate body towards the second end thereof. For example, an angle between the chest portion and the breast portion may vary from the first end of the elongate body towards the second end of the elongate body. A gradual variation in cross section allows the breast support to optimally follow a woman’s anatomy of her chest and breasts and thereby distribute the pressure of a rigid 3D formed breast support on the woman’s torso - in a flexible, textile garment - along a larger surface than a conventional underwire. The gradual variation of the cross section of the elongate body thus provides optimal comfort. It allows the breast support to be positioned within the transition of a woman’s chest to a woman’s breast. Consequently, the breast support will support and shape the breast in a comfortable, smooth way without having sharp edges digging into the skin.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the cross-section of said elongate body defines substantially an L-shape at the first end of the elongate body. For example, an angle between the chest portion and the breast portion at the first end of the elongate body may be in the range of 80° - 160°, and is preferably in the range of 90° - 150° to define the L-shape at the first end of the elongate body.

The L-shape between the breasts provides stiffness and thereby allows the breast support to maintain the function of supporting element in the garment. The stiffness prevents that tensile forces in a garment may deform the breast support which may cause the undesirable effect that the breast support is forced away from the sternum (mid of chest). The stiffness provided by the L-shape guarantees that the breast support may function effectively even when it is fitted in a tight garment.

According to an even further preferred embodiment, the cross-section of said elongate body defines an arc-segment substantially midway between the first end and the second end of the elongate body. For example, an angle between the chest portion and the breast portion substantially midway between the first end and the second end of the elongate body may be in the range of 1 10° - 170°, and is preferably in the range of 130° - 160° to define the arc-segment of the cross-section.

According to an even further preferred embodiment, the cross-section of said elongate body defines substantially a straight line at the second end of the elongate body. For example, an angle between the chest portion and the breast portion at the second end of the elongate body may be in the range of 160° - 190°, and is preferably in the range of 170° - 180°, to define the substantially straight line of the cross-section.

If the cross section of the elongate body at the second end that is near the user’s armpit is substantially a straight line, the breast support optimally pushes the breasts of a woman in an inward direction, i.e. tow ards each other. In this way, the breasts will be directed to the front of the woman’s body, with minimum to no sideward extension of the breast outside the woman’s silhouette in a frontal or rear view. The second end of the elongate body abuts the transition area between the breast and the rib cage. The second end aligns with the relatively stiff rib cage of the user, and thereby said rib cate directs the elongate body in the transition are of breast and rib cage. Consequently, the breasts are also aligned in this direction.

If, according to a further preferred embodiment, said chest portion and said breast portion are integrally connected, optimal support and comfort may be obtained. Moreover, the life span of the bra may be increased. After all, with prior art brassieres comprising underwires, an underwire sometimes breaks through the bra fabric. Besides the bra being broken, a pinching underwire may possibly cause tremendous discomfort. The integrally connected chest portion and breast portion will have a shape that is not very susceptible for pinching through the fabric of a brassiere.

The invention is further related to a method of providing such a breast support, comprising the steps of:

- measuring a 3D contour of a female human torso underneath a breast; and

- providing a chest portion that is shaped in correspondence with said 3D contour of the female human torso underneath the breast.

According to a preferred embodiment, said method further comprises the steps of:

- measuring a 3D contour of the female breast; and

- providing a breast portion that is shaped in correspondence with said 3D contour of the female breast.

Furthermore, the invention is related to a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions adapted to cause a 3D printer to, when executing the instructions, print the support according to the invention.

Preferred embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

The various aspects and features described and shown in the specification can be applied, individually, wherever possible. These individual aspects, and in particular the aspects and features described in the attached dependent claims, may be made subject of divisional patent applications.

In the following description preferred embodiments of the present invention are further elucidated with reference to the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a female human torso wearing a brassiere comprising a support according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective side bottom view of the female torso in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective side view of a support according to the invention; and

Figure 4 is a perspective bottom view of a support according to the invention.

The perspective views in Figures 1 and 2 show a female human torso 1, wearing a support 2 for a breast 3, comprising a chest portion 4 shaped in correspondence with a 3D contour of the female human torso 1 underneath the breast 3. This 3D contour is preferably measured at the breast root 5 (also known as inframammary fold) in order to obtain an optimal fit between the curvature of the user’ s torso 1 , the breast 3 and the breast support 2.

A breast portion 6 may also be shaped in correspondence with a 3D contour of the breast 3 of a female user, wherein said breast portion 6 and said chest portion 4 are connected and together define an elongate body 7. In the shown embodiment, the chest portion 4 and the breast portion 6 are integrally connected.

In a frontal view during use (arrow F in Figure 1), said chest portion 4 is substantially U-shaped. The chest portion 4 comprises an outward bend 8 in a bottom view (arrow B in Figure 1, and corresponding to the Figure 4 for the right breast in Figures 1 and 2).

The elongate body 7 extends betw'een a first end 9 that is configured to be arranged between the breasts 3 of the user and a second end 10 configured to be arranged near a user’s armpit 11. At said second end 10 of said elongate body 7, said chest portion 4 and said breast portion 6 both face an outer side of a transition area 17 of breast 3 and rib cage 18.

As can be best seen in Figure 4, said chest portion 4 gradually changes orientation, defined during use, from a width W thereof configured to face the chest at a first end 9 of the elongate body 7 towards a thickness T of said chest portion 4 being configured to face the chest at a second end 10 of the elongate body 7.

An angle a between the chest portion 4 and the breast portion 6 varies from the first end 9 of the elongate body 7 tow'ards the second end 10 of the elongate body 7.

The angle a between the chest portion 4 and the breast portion 6 defines substantially an L-shape at the first end 9 of the elongate body 7, as indicated by the cross section shown on the left side in Figure 2. The L-shape provides stiffness. The angle a at the first end 9 of the elongate body 7 is preferably in the range of 80° - 160°, and more preferably in the range of 90° - 150°. Larger busted women tend to have an angle more towards the lower values in this range, whereas smaller busted ladies would be more towards the higher values in this range.

The angle a between the chest portion 4 and the breast portion 6 defines an arc- segment 12 that is located substantially midway between the first end 9 and the second end 10 of the elongate body 7, as indicated by the cross section shown in the middle in Figure 2. The angle a midway between the first end 9 and the second end 10 of the elongate body 7 is preferably in the range of 110° - 170°, and more preferably in the range of 130° - 160°.

The angle a between the chest portion 4 and the breast portion 6 defines substantially a straight line at the second end 10 of the elongate body 7, as indicated by the cross section shown on the right side in Figure 2. The angle a at the second end 10 of the elongate body 7 is preferably in the range of 160° - 190°, and more preferably in the range of 170° - 180°.

If an increased rigidity is required, the support 2 may further comprise a strengthening rib 13 extending along a part of the elongate body 7. Such a strengthening rib 13 preferably at least extends between the first end 9 of the elongate body 7 and substantially midway between the first end 9 and the second end 10 of the elongate body 7, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4. The strengthening rib 13 may be integrally formed with the elongate body 7, for example by applying an additive manufacturing method such as 3D printing. Alternatively, a (not-shown) slot that is configured to accommodate a (not shown) reinforcement may be arranged in the support 1.

Relative to conventional underwire brassieres having 2D U-shaped metallic underwires, an improved user comfort may be obtained if the 3D contour of the female human torso 1 underneath the breast 3 used for shaping the chest portion 4 is determined as a median for each cup size and/or if the 3D contour of the female breast 3 used for shaping breast portion 6 is determined as a median for each cup size.

A tailored support 2, having a corresponding optimized user comfort, may be obtained if the 3D contour of the female human torso 1 underneath the breast 3 used for shaping the chest portion 4 is individually determined and/or if the 3D contour of the female breast 3 used for shaping breast portion 6 is individually determined.

The support 2 may further comprise a fabric defining two cups 14 for respectively a left and a right breast, a center gore 15 that is arranged between said cups 14, and a band 16 configured to be wrapped around the torso 1. The cups 14 are configured to accommodate respective elongate bodies 7 having the chest portion 4 and the breast portion 6, and may for example comprise (not show'll) pockets for receiving said elongate bodies 7.

The invention is further directed to a method of providing a breast support, comprising the steps of:

- measuring a 3D contour of a female human torso 1 underneath a breast 3; and

- providing a chest portion 4 that is shaped in correspondence with said 3D contour of the female human torso 1 underneath the breast 3.

In a preferred embodiment, said method further comprises the steps of:

- measuring a 3D contour of the female breast 3; and

- providing a breast portion 6 that is shaped in correspondence w'ith said 3D contour of the female breast 3.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the method, it further comprises the step of providing an elongate body 7 that comprises said chest portion 4 and said breast portion 6. Preferably, the step of providing said elongate body 7 that comprises said breast portion 4 and said chest portion 6 comprises the step of integrally forming said elongate body 7, e.g. by manufacturing said elongate body 7 with additive manufacturing, such as 3D printing.

The above described embodiment is intended only to illustrate the invention and not to limit in any way the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that where features mentioned in the appended claims are followed by reference signs, such signs are included solely for the purpose of enhancing the intelligibility of the claims and are in no way limiting on the scope of the claims. The scope of the invention is defined solely by the following claims.