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A garment device convertible to one or more facemasks wherein the garment device has a plurality of detachable cup sections. Each of the cup sections has a filter device, an inner portion positionable adjacent to the inner area of the user's chest, and an outer portion positionable adjacent to the outer area of the user's chest. The garment device has at least one securing device detachably coupling the inner portions of the cup sections to one another, and the garment device has at least one other securing device attached to the outer portion of at least one of the cup sections. This other securing device is operable to: (a) detachably couple the outer portions of the cup regions to one another; and (b) for each one of the cup sections, attach the outer portion of said cup region to the inner portion of said cup region after said cup region is detached from the other cup region, thereby converting the garment device to a plurality of facemasks.

Inventors: Elena N. Bodnar, Raphael C. Lee, Sandra Marijan
Original Assignee: Avocet Polymer Technologies, Inc.
Primary Examiner: Gloria M. Hale
Attorney: Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, LLP
Current U.S. Classification: 450/1; 2/4; 2/9; 128/206.19

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Citations

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Referenced by

Citing PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US7553213Jan 4, 2008Jun 30, 2009Annika P. SmithConvertible apparel top with swivel straps
US8109806Oct 20, 2009Feb 7, 2012Emergency bra mask

Claims

1. A bra garment comprising:

a plurality of detachable cup sections, each of the cup sections having: (a) a filter device; (b) a first portion positionable adjacent to a first central area of a user's chest; (c) a second portion positionable adjacent to a second outer area of the user's chest adjacent to an underarm; and (d) a valve device;

at least one securing device detachably coupling the first portions of the cup sections to one another; and

at least one other securing device attached to the second portion of at least one of the cup sections, said other securing device operable to: (a) detachably couple the second portions of the cup sections to one another; and (b) for each one of the cup sections, attach the second portion of said cup section to the first portion of said cup section after said cup section is detached from the other cup section.

2. The bra garment of claim 1, wherein each of the filter devices includes at least one of a submicron filter or a plurality of layers of filters.

3. The bra garment of claim 1, wherein each of the filter devices includes at least one of: (a) a single layer of cloth or fabric; or (b) a plurality of layers of cloth or fabric.

4. The bra garment of claim 1, which includes a plurality of detachable shoulder straps, each one of the detachable shoulder straps being connectable to one of the cup sections and to a torso strap.

5. The bra garment of claim 4, wherein the torso strap includes a first end and a second end, the first end connectable to one of the detachable cup sections and the second end detachably connectable to a second end of another torso strap.

6. A garment device convertible from a breast garment to at least one facemask, the garment device comprising:

a plurality of detachable garment regions, each of the garment regions having:
(a) a breast cup section defining an area sized to at least partially cover a breast of a user and a mouth-nose region of the user;
(b) a breast cup connector including a first end and a second end, the first end connectable to one of the breast cup sections and the second end connectable to another one of the breast cup sections;
(c) a torso strap including a first end and a second end, the first end of the torso strap being connectable to the breast cup section of one of the garment regions, the second end of the torso strap being detachably connectable to the second end of the torso strap of another one of the garment regions, each of the torso straps being configured to interchangeably secure one of the garment regions:
(i) to a torso of the user when said torso strap is engaged with the torso of the user; and
(ii) to a head of the user when said torso strap is disengaged from the torso and engaged with the head of the user;
(d) a filter device attached to one of the breast cup sections; and
(e) an exhalation valve device attached to one of the breast cup sections.

7. The garment device of claim 6, which includes at least one first fastener attached to the second end of at least one of the breast cup section connectors, the first fastener operable to enable the user to: (a) attach the breast cup section connectors to one another; and (b) detach the breast cup section connectors from one another.

8. The garment device of claim 6, which includes at least one second fastener attached to the second end of at least one of the torso straps so that, for each one of the garment regions, the second fastener is operable to enable the user to attach the torso strap of said garment region to the breast cup section connector of said garment region after said garment region is detached from the other garment region.

9. The garment device of claim 6, wherein each of the filter devices includes at least one of a submicron filter or a plurality of layers of filters.

10. The bra garment of claim 6, wherein each of the filter devices includes at least one of: (a) a single layer of cloth or fabric; or (b) a plurality of layers of cloth or fabric.

11. The garment device of claim 6, which includes a plurality of detachable shoulder straps coupled to the detachable garment regions.

12. A method for manufacturing a garment device convertible from a breast garment to a plurality of facemasks, the method comprising:

(a) assembling a plurality of detachable garment regions, said assembling step, for each of the garment regions, including:
(i) assembling a breast cup section defining an area sized to at least partially cover a breast of a user and a mouth-nose region of the user;
(ii) attaching an air filter device to one of the breast cup sections;
(iii) providing an elongated securing member having a first end and a second end; and
(iv) attaching the first end of one of the elongated securing members to a portion of one of the breast cup sections;
(b) constructing the breast cup sections in a fashion so that each one of the breast cup sections is detachable from another one of the breast cup sections; and
(c) constructing the second ends of the elongated securing members in such a fashion that; (i) the second ends are detachably connectable to one another; and (ii) the second end of each one of the breast cup sections is detachably connectable to another portion of said breast cup section when the breast cup sections are detached from one another.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the filter devices includes at least one of a submicron filter or a plurality of layers of filters.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the filter devices includes at least one of: (a) a single layer of cloth or fabric; or (b) a plurality of layers of cloth or fabric.

15. The method of claim 12, which includes attaching a plurality of shoulder straps to the breast cup sections.

16. The method of claim 12, which includes attaching an exhalation valve device to each of the breast cup sections.

17. A cup member for a bra of a user, the user having at least one breast, the cup member comprising:

a body having a region sized to cover a portion of the breast, the body having:
(a) a first portion positionable adjacent to a central chest area of the user, and
(b) a second portion, the first portion and the second portion being separated by the region;

a filter device attached to the body;

a valve device attached to the body; and

at least one strap having an end connected to the second portion and another end detachably connectable to the first portion.

18. The cup member of claim 17, wherein the filter device includes at least one of submicron filter or a plurality of layers of filters.

19. The cup member of claim 17, wherein the filter device includes at least one of: (a) a single layer of cloth or fabric; or (b) a plurality of layers of cloth or fabric.

20. The cup member of claim 17, which includes a securing member which detachably attaches the cup member to the bra.

21. A bra device for a user having at least one breast, the bra device being convertible to a facemask, the bra device comprising:

a garment body having a region sized to cover a portion of the breast, the garment body having:
(a) a first portion positionable adjacent to a central chest area of the user, and
(b) a second portion, the first portion and the second portion being separated by the region;

a filter device attached to the garment body;

a valve device attached to the garment body; and

at least one strap having an end connected to the second portion and another end detachably connectable to the first portion.

22. The bra device of claim 21, wherein the filter device includes at least one of a submicron filter or a plurality of layers of filters.

23. The bra device of claim 21, wherein the filter device includes at least one of: (a) a single layer of cloth or fabric; or (b) a plurality of layers of cloth or fabric.

24. A bra device for a user having at least one breast, the bra device being convertible to a facemask, the bra device comprising:

a garment body;

at least one garment region detachably connected to the garment body, the garment region having:
(a) a cup-shaped section defining an area sized to at least partially cover the breast of the user and a mouth-nose region of the user, the cup-shaped section having:
(i) a first portion positionable adjacent to a central chest area of the user, and
(ii) a second portion, the first portion and the second portion being separated by the area;
(b) a filter device attached to the cup-shaped section;
(c) an exhalation valve attached to the cup-shaped section; and
(d) at least one strap having an end connected to the second portion and another end detachably connectable to the first portion.

25. The bra device of claim 24, wherein the filter device includes at least one of a submicron filter or a plurality of layers of filters.

26. The bra device of claim 24, wherein the filter device includes at least one of: (a) a single layer of cloth or fabric; or (b) a plurality of layers of cloth or fabric.

Drawings