CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application claims benefits of a U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/527,291 filed July 17, 2023, entitled GARMENT ACCESSORY, and also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/405,316 filed September 09, 2022 entitled GARMENT ACCESSORY.

[0002] The entire contents of 63/527,291 and 63/405,316 are each hereby incorporated by reference, in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] 1 . Field of the Invention

[0004] The present invention relates generally to clothing accessories, and more particularly to a clothing accessory for the upper torso of a user.

[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0006] Since the 1920’s backless dresses have been an elegant and striking fashion statement for formal and semiformal events. The open back and open side design options now include halter tops, blouses, and T-shirts with low plunging, open back, and sometimes open side options and various combinations thereof leaving the back and or sides fully or partially exposed. As these styles can be quite revealing, breast support continues to be a challenge for many women when wearing backless and open side garments and many consumers avoid wearing them as they can feel intimidating to someone who prefers the support of a bra. Nearly everyone who wears a bra prefers to wear their own. This is limiting as the current market does not offer a solution for camouflaging, disguising, covering, or hiding the back band, side wing, or front gore of bra.

[0007] There are numerous patents and patent publications that that have involved accessories for bras. These include, for example:

[0008] U.S. Pat. Publication No. U.S. 2022/0279867 A1 entitled “UPPER BODY GARMENT WITH WOVEN TUBULAR SHOULDER STRAPS,” discloses a garment with shoulder straps formed of a woven tubular material flattened into a double-ply fabric. The woven tubular shoulder straps have advantageously high recovery. The upper body garments also include a torsoencircling main body portion with a breast supporting region coupled to a body strap. The body strap is formed of a circular knit, tubular material flattened into double-ply fabric. The woven tubular shoulder straps are coupled to the circular knit, tubular body strap. In some embodiments, the weft yarn of the woven tubular shoulder straps can have different material properties than the warp yarn of the woven tubular shoulder straps. Methods of making the upper body garments are also disclosed therein.

[0009] U.S Pat. Publication No. U.S. 11234468 B2 entitled “SHAPING GARMENT WITH FIT- ADJUSTABLE BRASSIERE PORTION,” discloses designing garments that include brassiere cups can be challenging due to the natural fluctuation of a woman's breast size, as well as a possible disconnect between the size of her breasts and the size of the rest of her body. The high range of size variability places pressure on stores to stock inventories that include great ranges of sizes. This places an inventory risk to the store, since rarer sizes may never sell. The disclosed garment addresses these issues by including a fit-adjustable brassiere portion. The cups of the fit-adjustable brassiere portion include fit-modifying panels that increase their flexibility and elasticity. The rear side of the fit-adjustable brassiere portion includes a back adjuster with highly elastic regions that enables the brassiere portion to fit a broader range of chest sizes. Each of these features allegedly give the garment a more universal fit and enable stores to carry fewer sizes.

[00010] U.S Pat. Publication No. U.S. 11641895 B2 entitled “REVERSIBLE NECKLINE SHAPEWEAR GARMENTS,” discloses a reversible neckline shapewear garment that can be worn forwards or backwards, depending on the wearer's preference. The reversible shapewear garment described herein includes two necklines, wherein the first neckline may extend under the wearer's breasts and the second neckline may extend across or above the wearer's breasts. Advantageously, this reversible garment may be worn backwards or forwards by the wearer while contouring to the natural body without creating visible lines or bulges of fabric or losing shape. Also disclosed therein are methods of assembling and wearing the reversible neckline shapewear garment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[00011] In a broad aspect, the present invention is embodied as a clothing accessory including a) a band assembly configured to cover at least a portion of a wearer’s bra; and b) means for securing said band assembly to a wearer, including a connector system configured to connect a first end of the band assembly to a second end of the band assembly. At least a portion of either the band assembly or the means for securing band assembly is exposed to an observer during use.

[00012] The band assembly, in one preferred embodiment, includes a winged back band element, a support perimeter system connected to the winged back band element, a first end connector system positioned at a first end of the winged back band element; and a second end connector system positioned at a second end of the winged back band element. Thus, a plurality of spaced strap assemblies connected thereto are positioned to secure the band assembly to a bra.

[00013] In a preferred embodiment, the clothing accessory for securing the band assembly also includes a front connector system. In a preferred embodiment, the front connector system includes a central bridge portion. A cradle system has a first side cradle section depending from the first side of the central bridge portion and a second side cradle section depending from the second side of the central bridge portion. It also includes a wing system with eyelet tape which has a first side front connector system wing element depending from the first side cradle section and, a second side front connector system wing element depending from the second side cradle section.

[00014] The term “clothing accessory” as defined herein is synonymous to the term “garment accessory” and is meant broadly to include an accessory that can be used as an accessory for lingerie, or alone without an additional garment. Furthermore, it is gender inclusive and may be gender neutral. Additionally, it may be used with animals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00015] Fig.1 is a front perspective view of a woman wearing a dress with the clothing accessory of the present invention underneath to illustrate the advantages of the present invention.

[00016] Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the woman of Figure 1 showing a low-cut back dress and the present invention.

[00017] Fig. 3 is a front perspective view of the torso of a woman wearing a bra illustrated in dashed lines.

[00018] Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view of the torso of a woman wearing a bra illustrated in dashed lines.

[00019] Fig. 5 is a front perspective view of the torso of a woman wearing a bra illustrated in dashed lines with the present invention attached.

[00020] Fig. 6 is a rear perspective view of the torso of a woman wearing a bra illustrated in dashed lines with the present invention attached.

[00021] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the present invention showing the front connector system and the band assembly of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[00022] Fig. 8 is a front view of the front connector system showing an elastic loop construction detail.

[00023] Fig. 9 is a front view of the band assembly. [00024] Fig. 10 is a back view of the front connector system showing a silicon grip material and a plush elastic element.

[00025] Fig. 1 1 is a rear view of the band assembly showing a spaced strap assembly and complementary snap elements.

[00026] Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a portion of the band assembly showing a snap closure system.

[00027] Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a portion of the second side front connector system wing element showing a cutaway portion to expose the boning.

[00028] Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a portion of the band assembly showing a magnet closure system.

[00029] Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the back of the band assembly with embroidery.

[00030] Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the back of the band assembly with beads and sequins.

[00031] Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the back of the band assembly with hanging embellishments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[00032] Referring now to the drawings and the characters of reference marked thereon, Figures 1 -2 illustrate the full body of a woman 2 wearing a dress 4, a bra underneath the dress 5, and the clothing accessory of the present invention 10 underneath the dress to illustrate the advantages of the present invention. Figures 3 and 4 show enlarged portions of Figures 1 and 2 without the clothing accessory, to show how the bra strap is exposed. Figures 5 and 6 are correlative figures to Figures 3 and 4 but include the clothing accessory 10.

[00033] Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, clothing accessory 10 includes a band assembly, designated generally as 12. The band assembly 12, includes a winged back band element 14. A support perimeter system 16, 18 is connected to the winged back band element 14. A first end connector system 20 is positioned at a first end of said winged back band element 14. A second end connector system 22 is positioned at a second end of the winged back band element 14.

[00034] The winged back band element 14 is preferably formed of four way stretch material, in a preferred embodiment synthetic nylon yarn/fabrication.

[00035] The support perimeter system includes silicon grip material 24. This is a strapless accessory. The support perimeter system minimizes slipping throughout the duration of wearing. The support perimeter system preferably includes boning material formed of plastic; however other rigid materials could be used such as metal. The support perimeter system also preferably also includes transverse boning elements 26.

[00036] The first end connector system 20 is preferably hook tape. The second end connector system 22 is also preferably hook tape.

[00037] Spaced strap assemblies 28, preferably formed of grosgrain tape, are positioned along the band assembly 14 providing means for securing the band assembly 14 to a wearer via the bra 5. Each strap assembly includes a strap element 30 and a pair of complementary snap elements 32. Furthermore, the spaced strap assemblies 28 keeps the band assembly 14 covering the wearer’s bra even when wearer moves with exaggerated movements for example, raising one’s hands above their head or dancing enthusiastically.

[00038] Still referring to Figure 7, the means for securing the band assembly 14 also includes a front connector system 34. The front connector system 34 includes a central bridge portion 36, a cradle system 38 and a wing system 40.

[00039] The cradle system 38 includes a first side cradle section 42 depending from a first side of the central bridge portion 36. The cradle system 38 includes a second side cradle section 44 depending from a second side of the central bridge portion 38.

[00040] The front connector system 34 also includes a wing system 40. The wing system 40 includes a first side front connector system wing element 46 depending from the first side cradle section 42. The first side front connector system wing element 46 includes eyelet tape 50 thereon.

[00041 ] The wing system 40 also includes a second side front connector system wing element 48 depending from the second side cradle section 44. The second side front connector system wing element 48 includes eyelet tape 50 thereon. The upper part of the wing system 40 includes an elastic loop system 51 .

[00042] Referring now to Figure 8, a front view of the front connector system 34 is shown which focuses on the details of the elastic loop system 51 . The first side front connector system wing element 46 includes an elastic loop element 52. The second side front connector system wing element 48 also includes an elastic loop element 53. The elastic loop system 51 is used to secure a bra to the front connector system 34 using small buttons (i.e., fasteners 31 ) and complementary elastic loop elements 52 and 53.

[00043] Figure 9 is a front view of the band assembly 12 showing stitching 54, boning in phantom lines 26, and hook tapes 20 and 22. As can be seen from this front view the upper edge of the band assembly 12 is a substantially straight line. However, since it is a stretch material it can conform to the natural curvature of the user’s body. The lower edge is curved to generally be consistent with the natural curvature of the user’s body and allows for a comfortable fit. The upper edge is longer than the lower edge. The two sides are preferably not perpendicular, again so that the band assembly conforms easily to the shape of the body.

[00044] Referring now to Figure 10, a back view of the front connector system 34 shows the support perimeter system with the silicon grip material 24 (i.e. gripper tape). It also shows plush elastic 25 along the bottom of the front connector system 34. [00045] Referring now to Figure 11 , a rear view of the band assembly 12 shows the spaced strap assemblies 28 and the complementary snap elements 32.

[00046] Referring now to Figure 12, a perspective view of a portion of the band assembly 12 shows a strap element 28 with a snap closure system 32,33 to show how the strap secures a wearer's bra back to prevent slipping.

[00047] Referring now to Figure 13, a perspective view of a portion of the second side front connector system wing element 48 shows a cutaway portion to expose the boning 26. The boning 26 is used to stabilize and hold the fabric together. Thus, it creates a vertical structure and prevents the fabric of the present invention from folding in.

[00048] Referring now to Figure 14, a perspective view of a portion of the band assembly 12, shows a magnet closure system 55. The magnet closure system includes magnet elements 56. [00049] Figure 15 is a rear perspective view of the back of a woman wearing the clothing accessory 10 with the band assembly 12 having embroidery 59. Figure 16 shows the band assembly with beads and sequins 57. Figure 17 shows a band assembly 12 with dangling decoration 58.

[00050] Thus, the two separate pieces (i.e. the front connector system and the band assembly) combine as a detachable multiuse design that can be worn with or without a bra as a back bra accessory or body accessory to camouflage the back band and side wings of the bra, to cover front plunge/low front, open back, backless, and open side garments and as a garment accessory to be worn over clothing to achieve a defined or empire silhouette.

[00051] The impetus for the design is to conceal the back band and/ or wings of the bra, enabling the consumer to wear open back and open side garments with the comfort and support of their favorite bra. It is anticipated that the clothing accessory discussed herein will be marketed by the present assignee, under the trademark Peek Bijoux™. The Peek Bijoux™ clothing accessory front piece, i.e., front connector system, optionally allows for the wearer to cover the front gore of the bra with a complementary attachable clip to allow coverage for low cut, open front garments, for example, dresses, halter tops and blouses. This undergarment accessory is designed to fit most U Back and/or Straight Back Bras. The present invention allows for all unisex styles. The front connector system is designed to fit in between breast/pectoral areas.

[00052] Thus, the present invention is an elegant undergarment accessory. The clothing accessory may be offered in a selection of colors and choices of decorative attachments.

[00053] The band assembly may be formed of any one of a variety of stretch materials such as scuba, neoprene, and ariaprene.

[00054] The material forming the front connector system is typically less stretchy than the material of the band assembly. Thus, it creates a foundation to stabilize the band assembly. Typically, the band assembly is stretchy and flexible to move securely with the wearer without restriction of movement from the wearer.

[00055] The front connector system may be formed of, for example, lace, velvet, satin, elastic, flannel, fleece, knit, cotton, polyester, rayon, interfacing stabilizer.

[00056] In addition to the materials discussed above, the clothing accessory may be formed of embroidery, beads, sequins, dangling decorations, intricate glass beadwork, rhinestones, crystals, jewels, metallic fabric, lame, foiled fabric, metal like fabric, metallic yarn, silver and gold fabric, mixed metals, smocking and rushing fabric, applique, machine embroidery, hot fix gemstones, chainmail, fishnet with crystals, luxury fabric, stretch satin, monochromatic colored fabric, neutral colored fabric, power mesh, quilted texture, stretch crepe, stretch velvet, small brocades, machine applied pearls and gems, pearl trims, floral brocades, chemical lace, lace with colored lining, floral printed stretch, 3D lace, 3D elements, colorful beads, floral sequins, corded laces with stretch.

[00057] Other embodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

[00058] For example, in addition to a band assembly, and in addition to or instead of the front connector assembly the present invention may include detachable left and right side assemblies to hide, for example, sides of a bra.