Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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"Sternum and Cleavage Anti-Wrinkle Device"
by
Benoit Launier
and
Francine Lalibert6 Launier
Specifications:
"This invention pertains to a device designed to be worn between a female
human's breasts to prevent, and even revert, the formation of inter-mammary,
cleavage, and upper-chest wrinkles while the woman lies on her side; e.g.
while
sleeping on her side."
It is common knowledge that, as they age, most women naturally lose
firmness of their breasts as well as the elasticity of their skin. When a
woman, who
has large and/or soft breasts, lies on her side for any length of time, e.g.,
when
sleeping on her side, folds and creases form on her skin between her breasts,
on
her cleavage, as well as on her upper-chest area. These folds and creases are
caused by the woman's lower breast (the one squeezed between her chest and the
mattress) being pushed sideways upon her upper breast (the one furthest away
from the mattress), while gravity draws her upper breast atop her lower
breast. The
softer the woman's breasts, the deeper these folds and creases form between
her
breasts, on her cieavage, and on her upper-chest skin. As a result, the deeper
these folds and creases form, the longer they persist after the woman sits or
stands up. Eventually, these folds and creases persist indefinitely to become
permanent wrinkles.
Descriptions of prior Arts:
Prior art (U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,955 B1, issued Aug. 3, 2004 and U.S. Pat. No.
7,144,295 B2, issued Dec. 5, 2006 to Kelly J. Fisher)
The inventor describes a sleeping bra comprising a firm body support pad that
has
on its front face a smooth vertical section with a thick midsection and on its
back
face a smooth central vertical section that conforms to the chest of a woman
between her breasts. The support pad has a concave curved cavity on each side
of
the vertical section that conforms to the shape of the wearer's breasts. The
support
pad is made of a molded soft dense foam material. The brassiere comprises a
casing, made out of a soft absorbent fabric, to house the support pad and
secure it
between the wearer's breasts. The absorbent soft fabric is place between the
support pad and the skin of the wearer.
Prior art (U.S. Pat. No. 7,001,239 B2, issued Feb. 21, 2006 to Midge Russell)
The inventor describes a one piece rigid and hollow anti-wrinkle device. The
device
has a rounded proximate end, a rounded distal end, a first concave side and a
second concave side. The device's rounded proximate end is larger than the
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rounded distal end. The device has a soft, moisture absorbing fabric tightly
covering the outer surface of the object.
40 Prior art (U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,160, issued Sept. 15, 1998 to Jenny Iten
Wehmeyer)
The inventor describes a cleavage wrinkle device comprising an elongated pad
with a top and bottom rounded ends, and concave sides. The apparatus has a
neck strap attached to the top of the pad, and a torso strap attached to the
bottom
end of the pad. The pad is made of a soft material and stuffed with a
polyester
45 fiberfill. The said pad is approximately 6%2inches long by 2'/ inches wide.
Prior art (U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,772, issued Aug. 15, 2000 to Maria Elisa
Fernandez)
The inventor describes a garment comprising a front portion and a back portion
joined at the bottom by a wide strap, and joined at the top by two oblique
straps
50 wrapping over the shoulders of the wearer from the front portion to the
back
portion. The continuous one piece brassiere comprises a central part that
covers
an area between the breasts and extends until a position above the breasts.
The
said front portion has two concave lateral edges and a concave upper edge. The
back portion of the brassiere has a larger vertical extension than the
vertical
55 extension of the front portion. The back portion has two concave lateral
edges and
a concave upper edge. Along the edges of the brassiere there is a bordered
edge
with a band to maintain tension in the brassiere and prevent deformation
thereof.
The shoulder straps of the brassiere exert a tension directed towards the
shoulders
of the wearer. The central part of the front portion has a width of
approximately 6
60 cm, while the central part of the back portion has a width of approximately
15 cm.
Prior art (U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,958 B1, issued Aug. 27, 2002 to Aida Iris
Lorenzo)
The inventor describes a breast stabilizing garment comprising a stretchable
and
adaptable body strip disposed in such a manner to encircle the body of the
wearer.
65 The body strip has a first end comprising a semi-cylindrical component of a
sponge-like material, with a nap material patch on its outer surface. The
cylindrical
side of the component is placed over the sternum of the wearer, between her
breasts. The second end of the body strip comprises a means for connecting
both
ends.
Prior art (U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,555, issued Jan. 28, 1992 to Ernestine Lewis)
The inventor describes a cylindrical deformable central support member having
a
first end and a second end. The support member is semi-rigid, and can be made
either of foam material or foam rubber. The support member has an outer casing
that fully encompasses said support member. The outer casing has a first
closure
end and a second closure end. The outer casing is made of fabric which can be
washable. The outer casing can also be made of an elastic material or satin.
The
encased support member is secured between the human female by means of a
strap that encircles the woman's torso.
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It is well known and clearly understood, in the field of human female inter-
mammary and cleavage anti-wrinkle devices, that the formation of inter-mammary
and cleavage wrinkles can be reduced (slowed down) or prevented by adapting a
separator between the woman's breasts while she lies on her side. The purpose
of
85 the separator is to prevent the woman's breasts from folding upon one
another
while she lies on her side. In order to do so, the separator must remain in-
place all
the while the woman remains lying on her side, as well as when she moves in
her
sleep. When the separator is incased within a soft fabric, or when a soft
fabric is
placed between the separator and the woman's inter-mammary/cleavage skin, the
90 said separator is easily slid out of its favorable position while the
wearer moves in
her sleep. I have found that such devices, especially when adapted with a soft
fabric between the wearer's skin and the separator, may somewhat slow down the
formation of inter-mammary and cleavage wrinkles, but they do not interrupt
the
wrinkle formation process in these areas. Furthermore, as the woman lies on
her
95 side, not only are her breasts folded upon one another sideways, they also
fold
upwards creating creases and folds upon her upper-chest skin as well.
To remedy the slippage and displacement of the breast separator while the
wearer moves in her sleep, I have found that by covering the inner surface of
the
100 breast separator (the surface of the breast separator which conforms to
and
embraces the wearer's inter-mammary and cleavage skin surfaces) with an
adhering, soft, rubbery-like material, or by applying an adhesive substance
upon
the breast separator's inner surface, the said breast separator remains in its
favorable position even when the wearer moves in her sleep. This obviously
105 implies that the breast separator is, at priory, properly secured upon the
woman's
chest. Additionally, for improved efficiency and to prevent upper chest skin
wrinkles, the breast separator ought to extend above the woman's breasts, on
both
sides, covering the entire cleavage area reaching partway between her cleavage
and the base of her neck. Such a device not only prevents the formation of
skin
110 wrinkles upon the wearer's inter-mammary, cleavage, and upper chest areas,
but it
can also slowly regress preexisting skin wrinkles in these areas.
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention, in order to prevent
overpopulating the drawings with symbols, we will consider the right and left
sides
115 of the device (each side of the hatched lines IIH II) to be mirror images
of one
another.
Figure 1 illustrates the frontal view of the embodiment comprising the main
components of the breast separator.
Figure 2 illustrates the upper view of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1.
120 Figure 3 illustrates the side view of the same embodiment revealing the
cut
section depicted by the hatched line IIH II illustrated in Figures 1& 2.
Figure 4 illustrates the magnified view of the "cut section magnified area"
shown in Figure 3, exposing the material construction of the embodiment.
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Figures 5, 6, & 7 illustrate a more conforming version of the embodiment,
125 additionally comprising concave cupped sections that embrace the wearer's
inner
breasts skin areas as well as her inner-upper breasts skin areas.
Figures 8, 9, & 10 illustrate a similar embodiment, as the one shown in
Figures 5, 6, & 7, comprising, in addition to the inner/inner-upper breasts
concave
cupped sections, relief edges thereof.
130 Figures 11, 12, & 13, illustrate a variation of the shape-construction of
the
components comprising the said embodiment.
Figures 14, 15, & 16, illustrate a variation of the material-construction of
the
components comprising the embodiment shown in Figures 11, 12, & 13.
Figures 17, 18, & 19 illustrate means of securing the breast separator in-
135 place onto the woman's chest.
In the simplest form of the invention, the embodiment of the breast separator,
illustrated in Figures 1, 2, & 3, is comprised primarily of a "semi-rigid/semi-
flexible
membrane" 1, which can be made of a polymeric/synthetic material, a leather-
type
140 material, or a canvas-like stiffened fabric. The "semi-rigid/semi-flexible
membrane"
I can be considered non-stretchable in the normal sense or limited-stretch in
the
microscopic sense. The "semi-rigid/semi-flexible membrane" I is designed to
maintain the overall structural shape of the breast separator, and provide
reliable
attachment points for securing the breast separator onto the chest of the
wearer by
145 means of straps or the like. The said "semi-rigid/semi-flexible membrane"
I is
backed by a soft, flexible, conforming layer 2, which can be made out of a
foam-
like material or a memory-foam-like material. The soft, flexible, conforming
layer 2
allows the breast separator to adequately follow the contours and shapes of
the
wearer's skin on the entire area covered by the breast separator. The said
soft,
150 flexible, conforming layer 2 is further coated with an adhering, soft,
rubbery-like
material AS (or coated with an adhesive substance), which prevents the breast
separator from slipping upon the wearer's skin; therefore preventing the
breast
separator from being displaced from its favorable position while the woman
moves
in her sleep. Together, the "semi-rigid/semi-flexible membrane" 1, the soft,
flexible,
155 conforming layer 2, and the adhering surface As, are shape-adapted to
embrace a
female human's inter-mammary, cleavage, and upper chest skin surface areas.
The embodiment has a central vertical section shape-adapted to embrace the
wearer's sternum cavity skin surface area S, extending to also include her
160 cleavage skin surface area C reaching partway between her cleavage and the
base of her neck. On each side of the said central vertical section, the
embodiment
has a concave edge section B; which contours the shape of the wearer's inner
breast, seamlessly extending to also contour the shape of her inner-upper
breast
Bu. The embodiment also comprises an upper winglet 3 and a lower winglet 4, on
165 both sides of the central vertical section. The upper winglets 3 are also
shape-
adapted to maintain the wearer's skin areas D, above her breasts, to prevent
the
woman's breasts from folding upwards while she sleeps; therefore preventing
folds
and creases from forming in these areas. The upper winglets 3 and the lower
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winglets 4, of the breast separator, not only maintain the wearer's skin in-
place in
170 the areas they cover, they also serve as locations for securing the breast
separator
by means of straps or the like. The side view of the embodiment (Figure 3),
exposes the cut section depicted by the hatched line IIH II of the embodiment
shown in Figures 1& 2. The "cut section magnified area", illustrated in Figure
4,
expounds on the different layers which constitute the material-construction of
the
175 embodiment, comprising the cut section 1c of the "semi-rigid/semi-flexible
membrane" 1, the cut section 2c of the soft, flexible, conforming layer 2, and
the
adhering/adhesive surface A.
Figures 5, 6, & 7 illustrate an enhanced form of the said embodiment, which
180 additionally comprises concave cupped sections B;' and Bu', on each side
of the
embodiment's central vertical section. For improved comfort and support, the
cupped sections B;' are shape-adapted to embrace the wearer's inner breasts
skin
surfaces, seamiessly extending to include the concave cupped sections Bu'
embracing the wearer's inner-upper breasts skin surfaces as well. Figures 8,
9, &
185 10 illustrate the preferred form of the embodiment shown in Figures 5, 6,
& 7,
additionally comprising smooth radius curled edge-relieves ER along the entire
lengths of the said concave cupped sections B;' and Bu' ; therefore reducing
edge
line pressure for optimum comfort.
190 In a variation of the shape-construction of the components which
constitute the
embodiment, Figures 11, 12, & 13 illustrate the said breast separator, where
the
shape of its semi-rigid/semi-flexible membrane 1 is plane and uniform, while
its
soft, flexible, conforming layer 2 is shape-adapted to embrace the wearer's
inter-
mammary sternum cavity skin surface area S, her cleavage skin surface area C,
as
195 well as her inner-upper skin surface areas D above her breasts. The soft,
flexible,
conforming layer 2 is also shape-adapted to embrace the wearer's inner/inner-
upper breasts skin surface areas Bi' and Bu'. In order to prevent the breast
separator from slipping out of its favorable position while the wearer moves
in her
sleep, the inner surface of the soft, flexible, conforming layer 2 (the
surface which
200 embraces the wearer's inter-mammary sternum cavity area S, her cleavage
area
C, her inner-upper breasts areas D, as well as her inner/inner-upper breasts
areas
B;' and Bu') is likewise covered with an adhering/adhesive surface AS.
In another variation of the shape/material construction of the components
205 constituting the embodiment, Figures 14, 15, & 16 illustrate a similar
breast
separator, as the one shown in Figures 11, 12, &13, where the structural
maintaining membrane I is made up of a central main strap 1m, extended by an
upper strap lu and a lower strap 1L. The embodiment's soft, flexible,
conforming
layer 2 is likewise shape-adapted to embrace the wearer's skin surface areas
it
210 covers (the surface which embraces the wearer's inter-mammary sternum
cavity
area S, her cleavage area C, her inner-upper breasts areas D, as well as her
inner/inner-upper breasts areas B;' and Bu~. To prevent the said breast
separator
from being displaced while the wearer moves in her sleep, the inner surface of
the
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soft, flexible, conforming layer 2 is similarly covered with an
adhering/adhesive
215 surface As.
As means of securing the said breast separator in-place onto the wearer's
chest,
soft, wide, elastic-stretchable torso straps 5 and 6 may be used (Figure 17).
The
neck strap 7 is optional.
220
As another means of securing the said breast separator in-place onto the
wearer's
chest, a wide torso band 8, made of soft elastic-stretchable fabric, may be
used
(Figure 18). In this configuration, the embodiment becomes a brassiere. The
shoulder straps 9 are optional.
225
As yet another means of securing the said breast separator in-place onto the
wearer's chest, a garment 10 made of a soft elastic-stretchable fabric may be
used
(Figure 19).
7
