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Heather Knox sues Victoria's Secret over US 7,074,108 (uplift bra)

By Lawrence B. Ebert, Esq.

Heather M. Knox, of Monroeville, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania asserts that the BioFit bra of Victoria's Secret infringes claims of her patent in its larger D and DD sizes, where it features what the company calls "power mesh."

A story in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette noted:

"It's scary to go up against a big company, but I think in the end, the right decision will be made," said Ms. Knox.

Her search for the perfect bra goes back years.

With a push-up, Ms. Knox said her breasts would go up and over the cups. But with a full-coverage garment, she looked saggy.

She wore both at the same time to try to counteract each other.

"I'm a 36C. I'm not a GG or anything," she said. "I'm 40. Gravity has taken its toll on me. Even at 30, gravity had taken its toll on me."

The Post Gazette story details the individual work done by Heather Knox to obtain her patent and
shows her with the patent -->

Refer to US 7,074,108, Multi-layer uplift bra, with abstract:

A multi-layer uplift bra which enhances a woman's natural curves while providing adequate support and coverage for the breasts includes a bottom portion capable of encircling the torso of a wearer, a pair of breast cups joined at a center portion, and a pair of straps, each of which being connected at one end to a breast cup and at another end to the bottom portion of the bra. The pair of straps are capable of extending over a pair of shoulders of the wearer. The breast cups include a first layer for lifting the breasts and creating cleavage and a second layer for supporting and holding the breasts in place. A joining means is provided for joining the first and second layers together along the bottom portion of the multi-layer uplift bra.

The '108 patent cites 6,165,047, Two-in-one brassiere for breast enhancement and support.

Victoria's Secret is no stranger to IP litigation-->

Victoria's Secret: sellers of "Very Sexy 100-Way Strapless Convertible Bra " sued for patent infringement

http://ipbiz.blogspot.com/2008/05/victorias-secret-sued-for-trademark.html

See also

http://ipbiz.blogspot.com/2007/07/piracy-of-brababy-wall-street-journal.html

http://ipbiz.blogspot.com/2005/06/blogging-can-be-hazardous-to-your.html

[In passing, the first post of IPBiz was on 29 June 2004, detailing LBE's interview with NHK-TV.
See Schon again. In the five
years since the interview, the NHK show about the Schon science fraud has never been shown on US television.]

Full post as published by IPBiz on June 07, 2009 (boomark / email).