Elastic material having variable modulus of elasticity
AssigneeMaidenform, Inc.
InventorCatherine Shannon
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Abstract
An elastic material includes a plurality of zones. Each of the zones has a particular modulus of elasticity associated with it and the distribution of the zones throughout the elastic material causes the material to have a variation of modulus of elasticity along a particular direction in the material. The elastic material includes a weft, which includes a relatively inelastic component, and a warp, which includes the relatively inelastic component together with the relatively elastic component.
Claims29
An elastic material having a weft, disposed in a first direction, and a warp, disposed in a second direction different from the first direction, the elastic material comprising:
- a relatively inelastic component;
- and
- a relatively elastic component,
- the relatively inelastic component and the relatively elastic component being distributed in the elastic material so that:
- (a) the relatively elastic component is disposed along one of the first and second directions, and the relatively inelastic component is disposed along both the first direction and the second direction, and
- (b) the distribution of the relatively elastic component operates to form plural zones, each zone exhibiting a modulus of elasticity, the modulus of elasticity of the plural zones varying along the one of the first and second directions, each zone further having a visible indicia associated therewith, the size of the visible indicia being selected in accordance with the magnitude of the modulus of the zone in which the indicia is located.
A shaping garment for use by a wearer to shape one or more portions of the wearer's body, the garment including an elastic material having a weft, disposed in a first direction, and a warp, disposed in a second direction different from the first direction, the elastic material comprising:
- a relatively inelastic component;
- and
- a relatively elastic component,
- the relatively inelastic component and the relatively elastic component being distributed in the elastic material so that:
- (a) the relatively elastic component is disposed along one of the first and second directions, and the relatively inelastic component is disposed along both the first direction and the second direction, and
- (b) the distribution of the relatively elastic component operates to form plural zones, each zone exhibiting a modulus of elasticity, the modulus of elasticity of the plural zones varying along the one of the first and second directions, each zone further having a visible indicia associated therewith, the size of the visible indicia being selected in accordance with the magnitude of the modulus of the zone in which the indicia is located.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.