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United States Patent Application	20080078013
Kind Code	A1
Koidl-Breitenherdt; Elfriede	April 3, 2008

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Foreign Application Data

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Date	Code	Application Number
May 9, 2005	DE	DE 202005007336.9

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Claims

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1. A padded shoulder strap for transferring a load to a wearer's shoulder, having a strap band (4) and a padding part (5) which has a first lateral region (6) arranged between the strap band and the shoulder and a second lateral region (7) arranged between the strap band and the neck of the wearer (T), at least part of the strap band being connected to part of the first lateral region (6) such that, in the interconnected parts, the strap band (4) and the padding part (5) together have a level of elasticity in the longitudinal direction of the strap which is lower than the elasticity of the second lateral region (7) of the padding part in the longitudinal direction of the strap, characterized in that it is only in a part which is limited to an arm side edge (9) of the strap band (4), the arm side edge (9) being directed away from the neck of the wearer (T), that the strap band (4) is connected to that part of the first lateral region (6) of the padding part (5) which is located opposite the arm side edge (9), and outside these parts the strap band, when being worn, rests loosely on the first lateral region (6) of the padding part (5).

2. The padded shoulder strap as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the second lateral region (7) of the padding part (5) has a width that is 0.5 to 1.5 times a width of the strap band (4).

3. The padded shoulder strap as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the padding part (5) is in panel form and has an arm side edge (10) which is directed away from the neck of the wearer (T) and runs parallel to, and in the immediate vicinity of, the arm side edge (9) of the strap band (4).

4. The padded shoulder strap as claimed in claim 3, wherein: the padding part (5) has a generally trapezoidal shape with two parallel sides; and the arm side edge (10) of the padding part (5) is the longer of the two parallel sides.

5. The padded shoulder strap as claimed in claim 3, wherein: the padding part (5) is bounded by the arm side edge (10) and by a neck side edge (13); the neck side edge (13) is covered by a neck side surround band (14) which is folded in a U-shaped manner, is fastened on the padding part (5) and has two end portions (16) which are covered by an arm side surround band (12) covering the two arm side edges (9, 10) of the strap band (4) and of the padding part (5), the end portions (16) of the neck side surround band (14) are fastened, on the one hand, on the arm side band (12) covering the two side edges (9, 10) of the strap band (4) and the padding part (5) and, on the other hand, on the strap band (4); and the strap band (4), when being worn, rests loosely on the neck side surround band (14) outside the end portions (16).

6. The padded shoulder strap as claimed in claim 5, wherein: at least one of the arm side surround band (12) and the neck side surround band (14) comprises an elastic textile material.

7. The padded shoulder strap as claimed in claim 3, wherein: the two arm side edges (9, 10) of the strap band (4) and of the padding part (5) are covered by an arm side surround band (12) which is folded in a U-shaped manner, runs in a longitudinal direction of the strap and is fastened on the strap band (4) and the padding part (5).

8. The padded shoulder strap as claimed in claim 7, wherein: the arm side surround band (12) is fastened on the strap band (4) and the padding part (5) by an arm side seam (11) which, at the same time, connects the strap band (4) and the padding part (5) directly to one another.

9. The padded shoulder strap as claimed in claim 7, wherein: the neck side edge (8) of the strap band which is directed towards the neck of the wearer (T) is free.

10. The padded shoulder strap as claimed in claim 7, wherein: the arm side surround band (12) covering the two arm side edges (9, 10) of the strap band (4) and of the padding part (5) continues along a portion of the strap band (4) which projects beyond the padding part (5) in the longitudinal direction of the strap.

11. The padded shoulder strap as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the strap band (4) has a portion projecting beyond the padding part (5) in the longitudinal direction of the strap; and said portion projecting beyond the padding part (5) is connected to one from the group consisting of an item of clothing, a pocket, and a rucksack.

12. The padded shoulder strap as claimed in claim 11, wherein: said item of clothing is one from the group consisting of an item of corsetry, an item of swimwear, and a pair of trousers.

13. The padded shoulder strap as claimed in claim 12, wherein: at least one of the strap band (4) and the padding part (5) comprises an elastic textile material.

14. A garment comprising a pair of padded shoulder straps, each padded shoulder strap comprising: a strap band (4) having an arm side edge (9) and a neck side edge (8); and a padding part (5) having an arm side edge (10) and a neck side edge (13), the padding part having a first lateral region (6) underlying the strap band and a second lateral region (7) extending past the neck side edge (8) of the strap band and terminating in said neck side edge (13); wherein: only that portion of the strap band (4) which is proximate the strap band's arm side edge (9) is connected to a corresponding portion of the first lateral region (6) proximate the padding part's arm side edge (10), with the remainder of the strap band (4) resting loosely on the first lateral region (6) of the padding part (5); and in those portions where the strap band (4) and the first lateral region (6) are connected, the strap band (4) and the padding part together have a level of elasticity in a longitudinal direction of the shoulder strap which is lower than a level of elasticity of the second lateral region of the padding part in said longitudinal direction of the shoulder strap.

15. The garment according to claim 14, wherein: a width of the second lateral region (7) of the padding part (5) is 0.5 to 1.5 times a width of the strap band (4).

16. The garment according to claim 14, wherein: the padding part (5) has a generally trapezoidal shape with two parallel sides; and the padding part's arm side edge (10) is the longer of the two parallel sides.

17. The garment according to claim 14, wherein: the padding part (5) is in panel form; and the padding part's arm side edge (10) runs parallel to, and in the immediate vicinity of the strap band's arm side edge (9).

18. The garment according to claim 14, further comprising: an arm side surround band (12) which is folded in a U-shaped manner and covers the two arm side edges (9, 10); wherein: the arm side surround band (12) runs in the longitudinal direction of the shoulder strap and is fastened on the strap band (4) and the padding part (5).

19. The garment according to claim 18, further comprising: an arm side seam (11) which: fastens the arm side surround band (12) on the strap band (4) and the padding part (5); and directly connects the strap band (4) and the padding part (S) to one another.

20. The garment according to claim 18, wherein: the strap band's neck side edge (8) is free.

21. The garment according to claim 18, wherein: a portion of the strap band (4) projects beyond the padding part (5) in the longitudinal direction of the shoulder strap; and. the arm side surround band (12) covers said portion of the strap band that projects beyond the padding part (5) in the longitudinal direction of the shoulder strap.

22. The garment according to claim 18, wherein: the neck side edge (13) is covered by a neck side surround band (14) which is folded in a U-shaped manner and is fastened on the padding part (5); the neck side surround band (14) has two end portions (16) which are covered by the arm side surround band (12); and the two end portions (16) are fastened to the arm side surround band (12) and to the strap band (4).

23. The garment according to claim 22, wherein: at least one of the arm side surround band (12) and the neck side surround band (14) comprises an elastic textile material.

24. The garment according to claim 14, wherein: the strap band (4) has a portion that projects beyond the padding part (5) in the longitudinal direction of the strap; and said portion that projects beyond the padding part (5) is connected to a remainder of the garment.

25. The garment according to claim 24, wherein the garment is one from the group consisting of an item of corsetry, an item of swimwear, a dress, and a pair of trousers.

26. The garment according to claim 25, wherein: at least one of the strap band (4) and the padding part (5) comprises an elastic textile material.

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Description

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RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of International Application No. PCT/DE2006/00363, filed 27 Feb. 2006, which published as WO 2006/119718, and claims priority to DE 20 2005 007 336.9, filed 9 May 2005. The contents of the aforementioned International application and German application are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates to a padded shoulder strap for transferring a load to a wearer's shoulder, having a strap band and a padding part which has a first lateral region arranged between the strap band and the shoulder and a second lateral region arranged between the strap band and the neck of the wearer, at least part of the strap band being connected to part of the first lateral region such that, in the interconnected parts, the strap band and the padding part together have a level of elasticity in the longitudinal direction of the strap which is lower than the elasticity of the second lateral region of the padding part in the longitudinal direction of the strap.

BACKGROUND

[0003] German Utility Model No. 202 02 242.0 discloses a shoulder strap. This shoulder strap has an embodiment (FIG. 10) in which a strap band is fastened on a band-like padding part which runs between the strap band and a wearer's shoulder, the band-like padding part being wider than the strap band and having a lateral region which is located closer to the wearer's neck and is not covered by the strap band. The strap band is sewn to the band-like padding part, in which case it is known from practice for the strap band to be sewn to the band-like padding part only along its side edge which is directed towards the wearer's neck, whereas at other locations of the strap band, in particular on the side edge which is directed away from the wearer's neck, there is no fixed connection to the band-like padding part. Consequently, outside its side edge which is directed towards the wearer's neck, the strap band, when being worn, rests loosely on the padding part. By virtue of the strap band being fastened on the padding part along that side edge of the strap band which is directed towards the wearer's neck, the elasticity of the padding part is reduced not just in the region of the seam, but over the entire region which is covered by the strap band. The cushioning effect which is hoped for as a result of the padding part is thus reduced at least in that region of the padding part which is covered by the strap band. Although the known shoulder strap has a higher level of elasticity in a neck-side region than in an arm-side region, the wearer does not feel the wearing comfort of the known shoulder strap to be optimum if the shoulder strap is subjected to a particularly high load.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] One object of the invention is thus to develop the shoulder strap mentioned in the introduction such that, even under high loads, it does not result in any unpleasant pressure marks on the wearer's shoulder.

[0005] This object of the invention is achieved in that it is only in a part which is limited to that side edge of the strap band which is directed away from the neck of the wearer that the strap band is connected to that part of the first lateral region of the padding part which is located opposite this side edge, and outside these parts the strap band, when being worn, rests loosely on the first lateral region of the padding part.

[0006] The advantage of the shoulder strap as claimed in the invention is that the cushioning effect is provided uniformly virtually over the entire width of the first and second lateral regions of the padding part, since the padding part is connected to the strap band only along that side edge of the strap band which is directed away from the wearer's neck. The shoulder strap as claimed in the invention is distinguished by an extremely high level of wearing comfort even under high loads. The wearer's comfort is promoted particularly by the fact that the cushioning effect of the padding part in the region of the neck side edge of the strap band is unrestricted since, there, the strap band, when being worn, now rests loosely on the padding part. A stiffening of the shoulder strap as claimed in the invention is concentrated on the arm side edge of the strap band, that is to say at a location of the shoulder where, in view of the anatomical features, the shoulder provides a relatively hard rest for the shoulder strap.

[0007] The padding part is preferably in panel form and it has a side edge which is directed away from the neck of the wearer and runs parallel to, and in the immediate vicinity of, that side edge of the strap band which is directed away from the neck of the wearer. Tensile forces to which the shoulder strap is subjected by a load can thus only be introduced by the strap band into the padding part along the arm-side edge of the strap band since it is only there that the strap band is connected to the padding part. In all other regions in which the strap band covers the padding part, the strap band only rests loosely on the padding part.

[0008] Those two side edges of the strap band and of the padding part which are directed away from the neck of the wearer are preferably covered by a surround band which is folded in a U-shaped manner, runs in the longitudinal direction of the strap and is fastened on the strap band and the padding part. The surround band further reduces the elasticity of the shoulder strap in the region of the arm-side edge of the strap band, as a result of which the wearing comfort of the shoulder strap increases yet further.

[0009] The surround band is preferably fastened on the strap band and the padding part by a seam which, at the same time, connects the strap band and the padding part directly to one another. This provides a comfortably fixed connection between the strap band and the padding part in the region of the surround band.

[0010] That side edge of the strap band which is directed towards the neck of the wearer is preferably free, which results in the elasticity of the strap band on the neck-side edge of the strap band not being restricted in comparison with the elasticity in the region between the two side edges.

[0011] It is particularly advantageous for the wearing comfort of the shoulder strap if the second lateral region of the padding part has a width that is 0.5 to 1.5 times the width of the strap band. The second lateral region of the padding part, this region not being covered by the strap band, thus has a sufficiently wide bearing surface on the musculature which rises up in the direction of the wearer's neck, and reacts particularly sensitively to pressure.

[0012] The shoulder strap as claimed in the invention is particularly suitable as part of an item of corsetry, in particular of a bra for large busts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0013] The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the following description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, which is also illustrated in the drawings, in which:

[0014] FIG. 1 shows a wearer wearing a bra with two shoulder straps as claimed in the invention,

[0015] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged illustration of one of the two shoulder straps which can be seen in FIG. 1,

[0016] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the top side of a portion of the shoulder strap which is shown in FIG. 2,

[0017] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the underside of the shoulder strap which is shown in FIG. 2, and

[0018] FIG. 5 shows a section along line V-V through the shoulder strap which is illustrated in FIG. 3, the illustration exaggerating the size and thickness of the individual parts of the shoulder strap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a garment in accordance with the present invention. A bra 1 which is illustrated in FIG. 1 has two shoulder straps 2 as claimed in the invention which are guided over the shoulders of a wearer T and are of identical, albeit mirror-inverted, design. Each shoulder strap 2 has a strap band 4, which is connected to the front part 3 and the rear part (not illustrated) of the bra 1, and a panel-form padding part 5, which is more or less trapezoidal, as can be seen from FIG. 4. The padding part 5 has a first lateral region 6, which is arranged between the strap band 4 and the shoulder of the wearer T, and a second lateral region 7, which is arranged between the strap band 4 and the neck of the wearer T. The strap band 4 thus runs above the first lateral region 6 of the padding part 5, while the second lateral region 7 is located laterally alongside the neck side edge 8 of the strap band. An arm side edge 9 of the strap band 4 runs parallel to, and in the immediate vicinity of, an arm side edge 10 of the padding part. The two arm side edges 9 and 10 of the strap band 4 and of the padding part 5, respectively, are thus located precisely one above the other.

[0020] It is only along its arm side edge 9 that the strap band 4 is fixedly connected to the padding part 5, along the arm side edge 10 of the latter, by an arm side seam 11, by means of which, at the same time, an arm side surround band 12 which is folded in a U-shaped manner and covers the two side edges 9 and 10, is fastened on the strap band 4 and the padding part 5. Between the arm side seam 11 and the neck side edge 8, the strap band 4 rests loosely on the padding part 5.

[0021] The padding part 5 is bounded by the arm side edge 10 and a further edge 13 which, for its part, is covered by a neck side surround band 14 which is folded in a U-shaped manner and is fastened on the padding part 5, along the further edge 13, by a neck side seam 15. The neck side surround band 14 has two end portions 16, which are indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 4 and are arranged between the shoulder-side leg of the cross-sectionally U-shaped arm side surround band 12 and the underside of the strap band 4. The arm side seam 11 also connects the arm side surround band 12 to the end portions 16 of the neck side surround band 14.

[0022] The neck-side edge 8 of the strap band 4 is free and runs loosely over the neck side surround band 14.

[0023] Both the strap band 4 and the padding part 5 as well as the surround bands 12 and 14 are each produced from an elastic textile material, it being possible for these materials to differ in respect of construction and elasticity.

[0024] The padding part 5 is restricted in elasticity in the longitudinal direction of the strap only in the region of the seam 11. It is likewise the case that the elasticity of the strap band 4 in the longitudinal direction of the strap is restricted only in the region of the arm side seam 11. In the region between the arm side seam 11 and the neck-side edge 13 of the padding part 5, the padding part 5 is uniformly elastic in the longitudinal direction of the strap. Moreover, the padding part has a uniform cushioning effect in this region.

[0025] It is noted that while in the embodiment described above, the padded shoulder straps are attached to a garment which is an item of corsetry, such as a bra 1, the garment may likewise be an item of swimwear, a dress, or a pair of trousers.

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