Patent Application
20070293127
The invention now will be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
As shown in
As shown in
In other or alternate embodiments, shape memory materials such as shape memory polymers including shape memory polyurethanes (SMP) or shape memory metals may be used to form the support wire 115 of the underwire of the brassiere. Alternatively, synthetic resin can be used to form the support wire. In addition, the underwires can be connected at one end for easy fabrication purpose.
In a second exemplary embodiment, the support wire 115 may exhibit a two dimensional U-shape prior to being deformed to extend in at least two planes to conform to the inferior profile of the breast of a wearer, for example, in the use and fitment of the brassiere.
With reference to
In step 401, breasts of various sampled individuals are scanned to obtain three-dimensional images by using for example computed tomography (CT) or ISO-C3D three-dimensional medical imaging technologies.
In step 403, coordinates, for example, x, y, z coordinates, of various points along the inferior profile of each breast including, for example, the medial most point, the lateral most point and inferior most point, can be ascertained based upon the scanned three-dimensional images. In an exemplary embodiment, the z-axis extends along the height of the sampled individual, while the y-axis extends along the width of the sample individual. Furthermore, an ordinarily skilled person in the art would appreciate that the coordinates of at least four points along the lower profile are needed for producing a support wire of three-dimensional form for catering for the inferior profile.
In step 405, the coordinates obtained in step 403 are analyzed statistically to ascertain a nominal data, the coordinates of a set of points along the lower profile, for each of different commercial sizes, for example, size 75B, of the breasts.
Thereafter, in step 407, the support wire can by produced based upon the data decided in step 405 by using molding or a stereolithorgraphy technique, for example
The use and fitment of the second exemplary embodiment are described with reference to
It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention. The foregoing describes an embodiment of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art can be made thereto, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details described, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
Furthermore, it will be appreciated and understood that the words used in this specification to describe the present invention and its various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but also to include by special definition in this specification structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus, if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use in a claim must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word itself. The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are, therefore, defined in this specification to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result, without departing from the scope of the invention.
