IP Library Granted Patent US 11,659,871
Granted Patent B2
US 11,659,871 · App. 16/127,653 · Granted May 30, 2023

Underwire casing

Inventors: Roger D. Warren (Claremont, NC); Michael D. Abbott (Statesville, NC); Charles C. Brown (Pilot Mountain, NC)
Assignee: HBI Branded Apparel Enterprises, LLC
A41C3/0007A41C3/122A41C5/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,659,871
App. No.
16/127,653
Granted
May 30, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A brassiere includes a body portion configured to at least partially encircle a wearer of the brassiere. The body portion includes a torso band configured to at least partially encircle a wearer of the brassiere, and a pair of breast cups including a first breast cup and a second breast cup. The pair of breast cups are configured to support breasts of the wearer. The brassiere further includes an under-bust support adhered to the body portion adjacent to a lower periphery of the pair of breast cups.

Claims (37)

1. A brassiere, comprising:

a body portion configured to at least partially encircle a wearer of the brassiere, the body portion comprising:

a torso band configured to at least partially encircle a wearer of the brassiere; and

a pair of breast cups comprising a first breast cup and a second breast cup, the pair of breast cups configured to support breasts of the wearer; and

an under-bust support adhered to the body portion with an adhesive and adjacent to a lower periphery of the pair of breast cups, the under-bust support comprising an underwire casing, the underwire casing comprising a maximum elongation of less than or equal to 5%, wherein the underwire casing comprises an outer fabric layer and an inner fabric layer, the outer fabric layer and the inner fabric layer defining a channel between the outer fabric layer and the inner fabric layer, and the inner fabric layer includes a cushioning surface comprising a float pattern and configured to contact the wearer.

2. The brassiere of claim 1 , wherein the under-bust support comprises a first under-bust support element adjacent the lower periphery of the first breast cup and a second under-bust support element adjacent the lower periphery of the second breast cup.

3. The brassiere of claim 1 , wherein the underwire casing comprises a tube of knit fabric.

4. The brassiere of claim 1 , wherein the underwire casing comprises a tube of woven fabric.

5. The brassiere of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the underwire casing adheres to an inner surface of the body portion.

6. The brassiere according to claim 1 , wherein the outer fabric layer and the inner fabric layer are connected to each other at an inner edge of the underwire casing.

7. The brassiere according to claim 6 , wherein the outer fabric layer and the inner fabric layer are at least one of welded to each other at the inner edge, adhered to each other at the inner edge, or stitched to each other at the inner edge.

8. The brassiere according to claim 6 , wherein the outer fabric layer and the inner fabric layer are continuous at an outer edge of the underwire casing.

9. The brassiere of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive comprises at least one of a reactive adhesive, a heat-set adhesive, or a thermoplastic.

10. The brassiere of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive comprises at least one of silicon, polyurethane, or cyanoacrylate.

11. A method, comprising:

providing a body portion of a brassiere, the body portion comprising a pair of breast cups comprising a first breast cup and a second breast cup; and

adhering, with an adhesive, an underwire directly to an interior surface of the body portion adjacent to a lower periphery of the pair of breast cups, the interior surface of the body portion is configured to directly contact a wearer of brassiere.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein adhering the underwire directly to the interior surface of the body portion adjacent to the lower periphery of the pair of breast cups comprises:

adhering a first underwire adjacent to the lower periphery of the first breast cup; and

adhering a second underwire adjacent to the lower periphery of the second breast cup.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein adhering, with an adhesive, the underwire directly to the interior surface of the body portion comprises adhering the underwire directly to the interior surface of the body portion with at least one of a reactive adhesive, a heat-set adhesive, or a thermoplastic.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein adhering the underwire directly to the interior surface of the body portion comprises adhering the underwire directly to the interior surface of the body portion with at least one of silicon, polyurethane, or cyanoacrylate.

15. A method, comprising:

providing a body portion of a brassiere, the body portion comprising a pair of breast cups comprising a first breast cup and a second breast cup;

attaching an outer fabric layer of an underwire casing to an inner fabric layer of the underwire casing, the outer fabric layer and the inner fabric layer defining a channel between the outer fabric layer and the inner fabric layer, and the inner fabric layer includes a cushioning surface comprising applied silicone, polyurethane, foamed silicone, or foamed polyurethane; and

attaching the underwire casing to the body portion adjacent to a lower periphery of the pair of breast cups, the underwire casing comprising a maximum elongation of less than or equal to 5%.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein attaching the outer fabric layer of the underwire casing to the inner fabric layer of the underwire casing comprises attaching the outer fabric layer of the underwire casing to the inner fabric layer of the underwire casing at an inner edge of the underwire casing.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein attaching the outer fabric layer to the inner fabric layer at the inner edge of the underwire casing comprises at least one of welding the outer fabric layer to the inner fabric layer at the inner edge, adhering the outer fabric layer to the inner fabric layer at the inner edge, or stitching the outer fabric layer to the inner fabric layer at the inner edge.

18. A brassiere, comprising:

a body portion configured to at least partially encircle a wearer of the brassiere, the body portion comprising:

a torso band configured to at least partially encircle a wearer of the brassiere; and

a pair of breast cups comprising a first breast cup and a second breast cup, the pair of breast cups configured to support breasts of the wearer; and

an underwire adhered directly to an interior surface of the body portion with an adhesive and adjacent to a lower periphery of the pair of breast cups, the interior surface of the body portion is configured to directly contact the wearer of the brassiere.

19. The brassiere of claim 18 , wherein the adhesive comprises at least one of a reactive adhesive, a heat-set adhesive, or a thermoplastic.

20. The brassiere of claim 18 , the adhesive comprises at least one of silicon, polyurethane, or cyanoacrylate.

21. The brassiere of claim 18 , wherein the underwire is adhered directly to the pair of breast cups adjacent to the lower periphery of the pair of breast cups.

22. The brassiere of claim 18 , wherein the underwire is adhered to a fabric of the body portion between the pair of breast cups and the torso band.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT R/F 70521/0523 Recorded Dec 15, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES, LLC
Reel/Frame 073952/0281 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT R/F 59910/0685 Recorded Dec 15, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: MAIDENFORM LLC; HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES, LLC
Reel/Frame 074165/0634 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 14, 2025
From: HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 070521/0523 →
FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 9, 2022
From: HANESBRANDS INC.; ALTERNATIVE APPAREL, INC.; BA INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; CC PRODUCTS LLC; CEIBENA DEL, INC.; EVENT 1 LLC; GEARCO LLC; GFSI HOLDINGS LLC; GFSI LLC; GTM RETAIL, INC.; HANES GLOBAL HOLDINGS U.S. INC.; HANES JIBOA HOLDINGS, LLC; HANES MENSWEAR, LLC; HANESBRANDS DIRECT, LLC; HANESBRANDS EXPORT CANADA LLC; HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES LLC; HBI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS U.S., INC.; HBI SOURCING, LLC; INNER SELF LLC; IT'S GREEK TO ME, INC.; KNIGHTS APPAREL, LLC; KNIGHTS HOLDCO, LLC; MAIDENFORM (BANGLADESH) LLC; MAIDENFORM (INDONESIA) LLC; MAIDENFORM BRANDS LLC; MAIDENFORM INTERNATIONAL LLC; MAIDENFORM LLC; MF RETAIL LLC; PLAYTEX DORADO, LLC; PLAYTEX INDUSTRIES, INC.; SEAMLESS TEXTILES LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 059910/0685 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 11, 2018
From: WARREN, ROGER D.; ABBOTT, MICHAEL D.; BROWN, CHARLES C.
To: HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES, LLC
Reel/Frame 047050/0118 →