Geometrical instruments – Distance measuring – By flexible tape
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-05
2003-11-04
Bennett, G. Bradley (Department: 2859)
Geometrical instruments
Distance measuring
By flexible tape
C033S770000, C033S512000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06640460
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device and method of self-measurement for the fitting of bras and other close-fitting clothing. In exemplary embodiments, the invention relates to the accurate measurement of a torso underneath or around the breasts for the correct fitting of a bra.
In this specification, the term ‘bra’ will be used conveniently to encompass all clothing designed closely to fit a wearer's breasts, thus including other forms of lingerie such as body suits, as well as swimwear and other sportswear such as leotards. However, although bras will be referred to herein to exemplify the invention, the invention is not limited to measurement of breast size for the purpose of fitting bras but instead enjoys wider application to other body measurement, especially around the torso at chest, waist or hip level, around the neck, or around the limbs.
It is important for a bra to fit correctly, not only for comfort, but because an ill-fitting bra can cause a variety of health problems, including muscle ache, irritable bowel syndrome and even spinal injuries.
Unfortunately, bra fitting is bedevilled by problems, including variations in size, shape and disposition of the breasts, by the amorphous nature of the breasts themselves, and by the fact that many women are never measured for bra size, either professionally or otherwise. Nevertheless, when buying a bra, most women know from previous experience roughly the size that is required This is always an approximation as changes in chest size, as well as changes to the size and shape of breasts, occur at different times during the menstrual cycle and as the years progress. Also, substantial and often irreversible changes in breast size and shape can occur during and after pregnancy.
A typical way to chose a bra is either by choosing a favourite style or make, regardless of the accuracy of the fit, or to try on a selection of styles in a range of sizes and makes. In this way, best fit is ascertained by trial and error. Both processes take time, are dependent on available stock and do not always result in the purchase of a properly fitting bra.
For women who are unsure of their size, some retail outlets provide a bra measuring service whereby measurements are taken either with or without a bra being worn. Apart from the advantage of obtaining expert advice or at least a second opinion as to fit, professional measuring services have many drawbacks. For example, if the measurement is taken with a bra on, there is the advantage that the breasts are supported but the resulting measurement may be inaccurate if the bra is not an accurate fit to start with. If the measurement is taken without a bra being worn, the measurement will also be inaccurate since the breasts are unsupported and therefore are of a different shape and volume compared to when they are supported.
The significance of support is that a breast is largely constituted of fatty tissue having a resiliently compressible, gelatinous consistency whose shape and volume will adapt to some extent to suit a receptacle such as a bra cup in which the breast is contained. When there is no such support, gravity will change both the shape and volume of the breast, obviously with increasing effect the greater the size and weight of the breast.
Even a professional measuring service is not immune from the drawback that the accuracy of breast and torso measurement for fitting a bra will usually depend on the level of training and experience of the person doing the measuring. It is also true that bra-fitting experts apply an element of subjectivity to their work. The aim of such experts is not to arrive at a universal bra size measurement that the user can apply with confidence to bras in general, but instead to fit the consumer to one of the bras available in stock, the purpose of measurement therefore being to select a limited range of bras that the user can try on and select from. Such trial and error is all well and good in a store environment if the consumer has the time and inclination to visit the store, but it does not suit the mail order and Internet shopping methods that many consumers increasingly prefer.
A further problem with professional measuring services is that many women feel uncomfortable about being measured in a semi-naked state by a stranger. As a result, the measurement/fitting may be hurried and incorrect advice given.
Self-measuring guides are therefore available. These generally involve measuring the circumference of the torso under the breasts to obtain a torso measurement, followed by taking a measurement across the breasts at the largest point, i.e. across the nipples in an ‘over-bust’ measurement. Then, these measurements are put into a formula to work out a nominal torso and bra cup size. The bra cup size is related to torso size and also to the difference between torso size and over-bust measurement. In other words, the difference between torso size and over-bust measurement imputes a cup size for a given torso size. However, the product of the formula is only as good as the measurements that are put into the formula, and unfortunately those measurements are often inaccurate.
For example, as noted above, a certain level of expertise is required to achieve any degree of accuracy; one could hardly expect an inexpert woman, usually working on her own, to match the accuracy of measurement of an experienced bra-fitter. In particular, it is difficult to be sure that a measuring tape is held at an appropriate tension and in the correct position, which is especially difficult to ascertain across the back, either with or without the aid of a mirror. Also, the cross-nipple or over-bust measurement introduces an inherent inaccuracy because it does not take proper account of the effect of the varying depth and width of the cleavage between the breasts. The measuring tape bridges the cleavage rather than following the contour, and so cannot accurately tell if a particular apparent breast size is due to the degree of separation and protrusion of the breasts rather than the overall breast size.
Furthermore, the final measurement will be dependent on the type of bra being worn, it being noted that measurement often takes place while wearing a bra and that different bras impose different shapes upon the breasts that they support. A particular source of inaccuracy arises where the bra is designed to flatten the breast or maximise cleavage because such distortion of the breasts gives a misleading over-bust measurement. In general, there is a tendency to overestimate torso size and to underestimate over-bust measurement: as cup size is imputed from t he difference between those measurements and with regard to the torso size, the combination or sum of errors in these critical measurements magnifies errors in apparent cup size.
Consequently, many women wear ill-fitting bras that are uncomfortable and provide insufficient support, which has adverse effects on posture and shape in later years. The correct fitting of a bra is especially important while breasts are developing during the teenage years and incorrect fitting during this time can lead to complications in later years.
Torso girth measurement is typically obtained by passing a tape measure around the torso underneath the breasts, holding the tape measure between a finger and thumb, tensioning the tape until it feels comfortably tight, and noting the resulting measurement. A fixed margin is added to the measurement to give the chest size required, adding further vagaries to the measurement. In the United Kingdom, such a measurement is usually obtained in inches, while in Europe, centimetres are the common unit. In the UK imperial scale, bra chest sizes increment in even-numbered two-inch steps e.g. 32 inches, 34 inches, 36 inches and so on. Accordingly, a margin of four inches (10 cm) is added if the measured chest size is an even number and a margin of five inches (12.5 cm) is added if the measured chest size is an odd number.
It will be appreciated that it is not easy to ensure that the t
Manson Timothy Roland
Nabarro Daniel Joseph Nunes
Swan Julian Francis Ralph
Wilcox Alun
Bennett G. Bradley
Stevens & Showalter LLP
T-Bra Limited
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