CORSETS

**Definition:** This place covers:

Corsets or girdles being a special type of undergarments for shaping or correction of a figure, with or without stays or steels, auxiliary belts, straps or fasteners; corsets with or without brassieres, e.g. of annular or tubular shape; girdles, e.g. with high waist part, with open bottom, or girdles of panty type, e.g. with elongated thigh part with or without suspenders.

Brassieres being a type of undergarments for supporting or shaping breasts having connected or separate cups including strapless, backless brassieres, e.g. self-adhesive bra cups, or brassieres with stiffening or bust-forming inserts, e.g. with pads containing gel or foam filling, with pockets; bra specially adapted for nursing mothers, e.g. fold-down convertible bra or with replaceable absorbing pads or cups; bra cups with massage elements.

Details of corsets, girdles or brassieres relating to materials used in making process thereof, e.g. elastic corsets including corsets made of rubber, or of layered materials; special materials for nursing mother brassieres or brassieres for sport activities.

Machines or appliances for manufacturing corsets or brassieres, such as integrated manufacturing system or production lines including, e.g. cutting or sewing machines, ironing-machines, attachment mechanisms for assembling component parts, circular knitting machines, machines for molding cup-shaped parts.

Methods for manufacturing corsets or brassieres, mostly the combination of individual process steps such as mechanical treatment e. g. pattern cutting or sewing, physical treatment with the use of high temperature or pressure e.g. hot pressing forming die for a brassiere cup, thermoforming for shape retention or hardening of the articles, high temperature adhering and pressing process without sewing, ultrasonic adhering, antibacterial treatment, aromatizing or steeping by perfume, chemical methods for densification of the knitted stitches; methods of manufacturing one piece bra; finishing edges.

**Glossary:** - Corset: (n) tight-fitting undergarments often reinforced by stays, worn to support and shape the waistline, hips, and breasts. - Girdle: (n) a woman's corset extending from waist to thigh - Stay: (n) a flat strip of steel, plastic, etc., used especially for stiffening corsets, collars, etc. (in.pl.) hist. a corset esp. with whalebone etc. stiffening, and laced - Steel: (n) a steel stiffener in a corset, etc.