Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Breast Tape and Method of Applying Breast Tape
Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to adhesive tape. More specifically,
the present
disclosure relates to an adhesive breast tape for supporting and lifting a
user's breast, as well as a
method of applying the same.
Background
Various devices are available to support and lift human breasts to enhance
their appearance.
Traditional brassieres are configured with supportive cups, a band surrounding
the rib cage, and
shoulder straps, but such traditional brassieres are not suitable for
backless, strapless, or low-neck
garments, as the unsightly straps and the bands of traditional brassieres are
visible when worn with
these types of garments. A device that is known and has been used with such
open-backed
garments is adhesive tape. Most adhesive tapes require user cutting and
require application to the
body in a variety of ways to achieve the desired support and appearance of the
human breast; as
such, they are difficult to use. As an example, one end of a user-cut adhesive
tape strip may be
applied to the bottom of the breast, the adhesive tape strip is then pulled
until the desired level of
support and lift is achieved, and the other end of the adhesive tape strip is
secured to the skin. In
this way, breast tape can achieve some of the desired lift and support
function and can be used
with a wide variety of garments; however certain drawbacks still exist.
Although adhesive tapes that are designed to support and lift the breast
exist, there are
several limitations associated with existing tapes. Known adhesive tapes are
packaged as a
rectangular tape roll that must be cut into pieces by the user prior to
application, which is
inconvenient and time consuming. Adhesive tapes that are packaged in this
manner are also costlier
1
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-02
for users with larger breasts, as these users generally require more tape than
those with smaller
breasts and must purchase more tape rolls and endure further cutting and self-
fitting.
Furthermore, known adhesive tapes require the use of multiple pieces of cut
tape in order
to achieve desired support and lift, resulting in a bulky appearance and
making a smooth molding
to the user's breast impossible to achieve, especially for those with large
breasts. Adhesive tapes
that are packaged as a single roll or multiple rolls of tape are also
difficult to remove, as each piece
that had to be first cut and applied to the skin must be individually removed.
This is a painstaking
process as each tape may be painful to remove, especially in this sensitive
area.
Additionally, known adhesive tapes wrinkle and cling to themselves once the
adhesive
backing that normally accompanies the tape is removed and prior to
application; this again makes
them difficult to apply. This issue is magnified if users must cut and apply,
and then again cut and
apply multiple pieces of tape before achieving a desired result.
While adhesive tapes with a predetermined, non-rectangular shape exist in the
art (e.g.
pear-shaped), these tapes focus on protecting the nipple from any discomfort
associated with
removing the adhesive and are so shaped to circumnavigate the nipple and not
to achieve a stronger
hold. These tapes function by lifting the breast below the nipple and contain
a non-adhesive
covered central portion that then covers the nipple. The inclusion of the non-
adhesive central
portion creates the predetermined shape. However, this non-adhesive portion
has drawbacks as it
reduces the amount of support and lift available to the breast and therefore
is not suitable for those
with large breasts as the desired lift and support cannot be achieved.
Further, the non-adhesive
portion creates an area that is susceptible to bunching as it does not mold to
the user's breast in the
non-adhesive location. This bunching further creates an undesirable look to
the product once
applied to the user.
2
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-02
In general, adhesive tapes are also stiff, made from cotton and spandex, and
use an acrylic
glue as an adhesive. The stiff material is unattractive, uncomfortable and
irritates the skin of the
user, especially around the nipple. The stiff material also fails to mold well
to the user's breast and
the outline of the tape may be visible through the user's clothing, creating
an undesirable
appearance. This stiff material is also difficult to cut without specialized
equipment.
Additionally, adhesive tapes employing known glues lose adhesiveness with
ongoing wear
and peel away from the user's skin after time, losing both lift and shape.
This issue is of further
concern when users desire to exercise while wearing a known adhesive tape; in
such situations
user sweat exacerbates the peeling off of the adhesive tape and known tapes
are not suitable for
such uses.
A further issue with common adhesive tapes is that, upon application, the
adhesive used is
squeezed and residual glue escapes from in-between the adhesive tape and the
user's breast tissue.
This escaped glue residue has a tendency to adhere to a user's clothing making
removal of the tape
difficult and potentially ruining the user's clothing.
As a result, there exists a need for an aesthetically pleasing adhesive breast
tape that
supports and lifts the breast, is easy to apply, has a smooth appearance as it
molds to the user's
breast and has no areas that create undesirable bunching, does not lose
adhesiveness with ongoing
wear or exercise, and does not irritate the skin during use, including around
the nipple.
Summary
In one embodiment, aspects of the present disclosure relate to an adhesive
breast tape
comprising a breast tape body that is composed of a hollow lace material. The
hollow lace material
may be composed of about 48% nylon, about 35% rayon, and about 17% cotton. A
specialized
adhesive coating composed of an acrylic medical grade pressure sensitive
adhesive may be applied
3
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-02
to a rear surface of the breast tape body, and a protective layer of material
may overlay the adhesive
coating. A layer of polyurethane film may also be applied between the rear
surface of the breast
tape body and the adhesive coating to increase the strength of the adhesive
breast tape, especially
when exposed to water. The additional polyurethane film further prevents
sticking of the adhesive
coating to a user's clothing as it mitigates glue from escaping off of the
breast tape body and
coming in contact with clothing. Further, the polyurethane film increases the
surface area available
for the adhesive coating to bind to and therefore strengthens the hold of the
breast tape while
maintaining breathability. The polyurethane film improves water resistance and
allows the breast
tape to maintain its hold of the user's breast despite exposure to water.
The protective layer of material overlaying the adhesive coating may comprise
a single
plastic single-sided silicone paper that keeps the adhesive from sticking
prematurely. The
protective layer may be removed prior to use. The protective layer may
comprise an upper segment
and a separated lower segment.
The adhesive breast tape can be applied by removing the lower segment of the
protective
layer that covers the base of the breast tape, exposing a lower section of the
specialized adhesive
coating. The base of the breast tape is then applied to the bottom of the
breast at a first location
below the nipple and is affixed thereto by the adhesive coating. Once the
bottom of the breast is
secured, the upper segment of the protective layer that covers the top of the
breast tape is removed,
thereby exposing an upper section of the adhesive coating. The breast tape can
then be lifted to
achieve the desired support and lift to the breast. Once the desired lift and
support is achieved, the
remainder of the breast tape may then be applied and secured to the skin of
the user by the upper
section of the adhesive coating at a second location above the nipple. The
breast tape molds to the
user's skin from first location to second location, thereby preventing
bunching of the material.
4
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-02
The hollow construction of the lace material, its unique composition that
retains strength
while providing breathability, the acrylic medical grade pressure sensitive
adhesive used that
provides a strong adhesion while also not failing during wear and exercise,
and the ability of the
breast tape to mold across the entirety of the user's breast, each provide
benefits over the prior
existing adhesive tapes.
Brief Description of the Drawings
The following drawings illustrate examples of various components of the
present
disclosure disclosed herein, and are for illustrative purposes only. Other
embodiments that are
substantially similar can use other components that have a different
appearance.
FIG. 1 illustrates an angled view of the top surface of an embodiment of the
present
disclosure.
FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of an embodiment of the present disclosure cut
at its
midpoint.
FIG. 3 illustrates a view of the bottom surface of an embodiment of the
present disclosure,
including a user peeling back a portion of the embodiment.
Detailed Description
A detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure will be
given in the
following disclosure. It will be appreciated that the embodiments provided
herein are for
illustration only and are not meant to be restrictive. Other embodiments of
the present disclosure
will readily suggest themselves to skilled persons having the benefit of this
disclosure.
The breast tape disclosed herein relates to an adhesive tape that can be used
to support and
lift human breasts without the drawbacks of existing adhesive tapes or
traditional brassieres.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-02
FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate an embodiment of the present disclosure. As can
be seen,
provided is a breast tape that comprises a breast tape body 1 with a top
surface 2 and a rear surface
3. The breast tape body 1 may be made of a lace material comprising hollow
portions or empty (of
material) cavities. The lace material may be composed of nylon, rayon and
cotton. In a non-limiting
example, the composition is substantially in the range of about 48% nylon,
about 35% rayon, and
about 17% cotton. This example composition of lace may be desirable for a
breast tape as it
supports a variety of breast sizes, binds well to adhesives, can be easily
cut, and molds seamlessly
to the breast. Due to the strength and elasticity of the example composition
of the lace material,
the breast tape may be suitable and may provide support for a variety of
breast shapes and sizes
without tearing, while also providing a suitable strength to support those
with larger breasts. In
some examples, the lace composition may also be flexible and may not be a
stiff material that is
unattractive and uncomfortable so as to irritate the skin. Flexible material
also provides the benefit
of molding well to the human breast and so the outline of the breast tape is
not visible through the
user's clothing, and a undesirable appearance is avoided.
The breast tape body 1 may have any predetermined shape, which allows the
breast tape to
be manufactured on scale in a variety of sizes following the predetermined
shape. In one example
embodiment, the breast tape body 1 may be generally pear- or tear- shaped (as
can be seen in FIG.
1), but, in general, may be made into any shape that best accomplishes the
goals of supporting and
lifting the breasts and molding to them. In a non-limiting example, a height
of the breast tape body
1 is about 22.3 centimetres and a width of the breast tape body 1 is about
15.3 centimetres at its
widest point, which coincides with a standard size "large". The example pear-
shape of the breast
tape body 1 limits the need for a user to cut the breast tape and thereby
allows for an easier
application and removal as its shape matches that of the breast ¨ a single
peel-away of the breast
6
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-02
tape is used rather than piece by piece. However, owing to the composition of
material used, the
user may still easily cut the breast tape body 1 prior to it being employed if
so needed. Ease of
cutting and forming allows the breast tape body 1 to more easily mold to the
user and prevents
bunching and ill-fits.
The top surface 2 of the breast tape body 1 faces away from the human breast
tissue and is
free from adhesive. The rear surface 3 of the breast tape body 1 faces
towards, and is meant to be
applied to, human breast tissue. The rear surface 3 includes an adhesive
coating 4. In some
examples, the adhesive coating 4 may include an acrylic medical grade pressure
sensitive adhesive
that may be applied by any known coating machine to the rear surface 3 of the
breast tape body 1.
The acrylic medical grade pressure sensitive adhesive may be applied to the
entire surface of the
rear surface 3 and thereby creates maximum attachment to the user's breast
tissue as no part of the
rear surface is adhesive-free.
In a non-limiting example, the adhesive coating 4 may include a hydrocolloid
hotmelt
pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA). This type of adhesive is well-suited for
applications including,
for example, advanced wound dressings, acne treatment, and ostomy care, where
the application
may include continued contact with human skin. The ability to maintain contact
with human skin
without irritation makes the adhesive also well-suited for the breast tape of
the present disclosure.
Further, this type of adhesive coating does not include any waiting time to
set and grip, nor does
it include heat activation to achieve a desired hold. The adhesive coating 4
may be formed such
that it does not lose its adhesive strength during normal wear and further
does not lose its adhesive
strength when exposed to a user's sweat, for example, when a user is
exercising.
The hydrocolloid formulation delivers an outstanding balance of adhesion and
peel
strength, and further delivers excellent moisture retention, good
breathability and enhanced
7
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-02
wearing comfort. The hydrocolloid formulation for the adhesive coating 4 may
be supplied, for
example, by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, a German chemical and consumer goods
company.
The body 1 of the breast tape desirably includes sufficient surface area for
the adhesive
coating 4 to bind to in order to support the breast; however, it may also be
desirable for the body
1 of the breast tape to be breathable for the user. A lace composition that is
hollow as mentioned
above may be desirable in order to maintain enough surface area while also
maintaining structural
integrity. In some examples, a structural integrity may be maintained by using
a composition of
substantially about 48% nylon, about 35% rayon, and about 17% cotton. In some
examples a high
surface area may be achieved by using hollow lace with patterns in the lace to
which the adhesive
may to bind to. In one embodiment, the hollow lace may contain a floral-styled
pattern. Due to the
flexible composition of the hollow lace and the adhesive coating 4, the breast
tape of the present
disclosure offers increased breathability and comfort to the wearer.
A protective layer 5 may be affixed over the rear surface 3 and directly atop
the adhesive
coating 4 to cover the adhesive coating 4 and prevent it from sticking
prematurely, and prior to
use. The protective layer 5 may be composed of an upper segment 6 and a lower
segment 7 with
a cut line to separate the sections, allowing a user to peel one section at a
time while leaving the
other section in place to maintain protection of the underlying adhesive.
FIG. 3 illustrates the rear surface 3 of the breast tape body 1, including the
adhesive coating
4 and the protective layer 5 that covers the adhesive coating 4. As noted
above, the protective layer
may further comprise an upper segment 6 and a lower segment 7. The upper
segment 6 of the
protective layer 5 covers an upper portion 8 of the rear surface 3 and the
lower segment 7 of the
protective layer covers a lower portion 9 (shown underneath lower segment 7 in
FIG. 3) of the rear
surface 3 of the breast tape body 1.
8
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-02
In a non-limiting example, a height of the lower segment 7 of the protective
layer 5 is
about 5 inches and a height of the upper segment 6 of the protective layer 5
is about 4.5 inches. In
one embodiment, the protective layer 5 may comprise a single plastic single-
sided silicone paper.
In some examples, a layer of polyurethane film (not shown in the figures) may
be applied
using any known coating machine onto the rear surface 3 of the breast tape
body. The adhesive
coating 4 is then applied onto the layer of polyurethane film instead of
directly onto the rear surface
3. The polyurethane film may increase the surface area available for the
adhesive coating to bind
to as it fills the spaces created by the cavities of the hollow lace material.
Increasing the available
surface area strengthens the hold of the breast tape to the user's body.
Breathability is maintained
as the polyurethane film is perforated, thereby maintaining multiple closely
packed holes, which
allow for the flow of air.
The polyurethane film may further improve water resistance and may allow the
breast tape
to maintain its hold of the user's breast despite exposure to water or to the
user's sweat.
An example method of applying a breast tape of the present disclosure is now
described.
First, the user may ensure that their skin is clean and dry, free from
powders, oils and
lotions. Next, the user may wish to apply any nipple covering to protect the
nipple and areola as
the full rear surface 3 of the breast tape body 1 is covered with an acrylic
medical grade pressure
sensitive adhesive. However, this nipple covering is not strictly necessary
and need not be used as
the adhesive itself is sensitive and should not irritate the nipple during
use. Next, the lower segment
7 of the protective layer 5 may be removed, exposing the adhesive coating 4 of
the lower portion
9 of the rear surface 3 of the breast tape body 1. The now exposed lower
portion 9 of the rear
surface 3 of the breast tape body 1 may now be applied and secured to the
user's clean and dry
skin at the bottom of the user's breast. Next, the upper segment 6 of the
protective layer 5 may be
9
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-02
removed exposing the adhesive coating 4 of the upper portion 8 of the rear
surface 3 of the breast
tape body 1. The breast tape body 1 may now be stretched and lifted and, as it
is lifted, the breast
tissue to which it has been applied is also lifted and the support and lift
desired by the user may be
achieved. The exposed upper portion 8 of the rear surface 3 of the breast tape
body 1 may now be
applied and secured to the user's skin above the breast as desired. The breast
tape body 1 then
molds to the breast from the first location to the second location.
While embodiments and applications of the present disclosure have been shown
and
described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art having the
benefit of the present
disclosure that numerous modifications, variations and other embodiments other
than those
mentioned above are possible without departing from the scope of the present
disclosure.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-03-02
