Method of Brassiere Size Determination by Direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length

Abstract

A Method of Brassiere Size Determination by Direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length providing accurate bra size.

Claims

1. A Method of Brassiere Size Determination by Direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length comprising: a. a 0.75-inch interval based measurement of the breast taken by digital or physical means by measuring from the medial inframammary fold to the lateral inframammary fold along the fullest part of the breast which correlates with a specific arc length of the breast and is used to calculate the hemispheric volume of the breast; b. a measurement of the chest circumference taken in inches by digital or physical means by measuring the circumference of the torso just below the inframammary fold; c. a measurement of bra cup volume determined by measuring the interior of the bra cup horizontally from medial edge to lateral edge along the deepest part of the cup in inches to find the cup arc length which is used to calculate the cup volume; d. a measurement of bra band length calculated by measuring the bra horizontally along the band from the end of the right wing to the end of the left wing; e. a user interface into which user data may be entered and which queries the database tables for bra data, user data, and user metrics to display results of bra cup volume which most closely match breast volume and bra band length which most closely match chest circumference.

2. The method of brassiere size determination by direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length of claim 1 wherein the measurement is taken in a measurement interval other than inches.

3. The method of brassiere size determination by direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length of claim 1 wherein the volumetric calculations and size matching is done by analog instead of digital means.

4. The method of brassiere size determination by direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length of claim 1 wherein the intervals for breast arc length are more or less than 0.75 inches.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Various other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

[0031] FIG. 1 depicts a front view illustrating the direct measurement of the unclothed breasts and chest circumference with the method of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 2 depicts a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating the direct measurement of the breasts with the method of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 3 depicts a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating the direct measurement of the chest circumference with the method of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 4 depicts an inner view of a bra illustrating the direct measurement of the cups and band length with the method of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the basic procedure for utilizing the method of the present invention.

DRAWINGS—REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0036] 1—Frontal view of location of the breast measurement [0037] 2—Frontal view of location of the lateral inframammary fold [0038] 3—Frontal view of location of the medial inframammary fold [0039] 4—Frontal view of location of the chest circumference measurement [0040] 5—Transverse cross-sectional view of the location of the lateral inframammary fold [0041] 6—Transverse cross-sectional view of the location of the medial inframammary fold [0042] 7—Transverse cross-sectional view of the location of the breast measurement [0043] 8—Transverse cross-sectional view of the location of the chest circumference measurement [0044] 9—Inner view of the location of the bra cup measurement [0045] 10—Inner view of the location of the lateral edge of the bra cup [0046] 11—Inner view of the location of the medial edge of the bra cup [0047] 12—Inner view of the location of the bra band measurement [0048] 13—Inner view of the location of the end of the left wing of the bra band [0049] 14—Inner view of the location of the end of the right wing of the bra band [0050] 15—Step of aggregating and entering bra data into bra database table [0051] 16—Step of entering measurement intervals and volume data into user metrics database table [0052] 17—Step of measuring the breast arc length and chest circumference [0053] 18—Step of entering breast arc length and chest circumference into user data database table via the interface [0054] 19—Step of querying user metrics database table for matching interval values and copying the corresponding volume value to the user data table [0055] 20—Step of querying bra data database table for matching bra cup volume and band length values that match the breast volume value and chest circumference value entered into the user data table [0056] 21—Step of displaying results from database query [0057] 22—Database holding the tables

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0058] The inventor provides a unique Method of Brassiere Size Determination by Direct Measurement of Breast Volume and Chest Circumference Cross-Referenced to Manufactured Bra Cup Volume and Band Length to determine the correct bra size by determining the hemispheric volume of bra cups and breasts and the chest circumference and band size in inches and matching the individual's measurements with measurements of bra designs.

[0059] The present invention is described in enabling detail in the following examples, which may represent more than one embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] FIG. 1 depicts a front view illustrating the direct measurement of the unclothed breasts and chest circumference from an upright position with the method of the present invention. The measuring device for breast volume is used to measure the breast from the lateral inframammary fold 2 to the medial inframammary fold 3 along the fullest part of the breast 1 to determine the arc length of the breast. The measuring device for chest circumference is used to measure the circumference of the torso 4 using a horizontal measure just below the inframammary fold to determine the chest circumference.

[0061] FIG. 2 depicts a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating the direct measurement of the unclothed breasts with the method of the present invention measuring the arc length of the breast 7 from the medial inframammary fold 6 to the lateral inframammary fold 5.

[0062] FIG. 3 depicts a transverse cross-sectional view illustrating the direct measurement of the chest circumference with the method of the present invention. The measuring device for chest circumference is used to measure the circumference of the torso 8 using a horizontal measure just below the inframammary fold to determine the chest circumference.

[0063] FIG. 4 depicts an inner view of a bra illustrating the direct measurement of the cups and band length with the method of the present invention. The cup arc length is determined by measuring the interior of the bra cup horizontally from the medial edge 11 to the lateral edge 10 along the deepest part of the cup 9. The “band length” value is calculated by measuring the bra horizontally along the band 12 from the end of the left wing 13 to the end of the right wing 14.

[0064] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the basic procedure for utilizing the method of the present invention. A database 22 containing three tables (one for bras, one for user metrics, and one for user data) stores the data. In the bra table, data is aggregated and entered for “manufacturer”, “bra design”, “bra cup size”, “bra band size”, “cup arc length”, “cup hemispheric volume”, and “band length” 15. In the user metrics table 16, each alphanumeric interval value used in the measuring device has its own entry in the “interval” column. For each alphanumeric interval value, the corresponding hemispheric volume value as calculated using the aforementioned formula is entered in the “volume” column of that row. The user measures their breast and chest using the measurement method 17. The database is connected to a digital interface whereby users may enter their breast measurement interval and chest circumference 18. In the user table, there is a cell for “breast measurement”, “breast volume” and “chest circumference”. “Breast measurement” is the alphanumeric interval value determined by the user by measuring their breast(s) with the measuring device. “Breast measurement” is entered into the database by the user. The “chest circumference” is the numerical value determined by the user measuring their chest circumference with the measuring device and entered into the database by the user. “Breast volume” is the hemispheric volume which corresponds with the alphanumeric interval value entered by the user. The “breast volume” value is automatically generated by querying the user metrics table for the “interval” value which matches the entered “breast measurement” value and copying the corresponding “volume” value from the user metrics table into the “breast volume” cell of the user table 19. Upon a user entering their breast measurement interval and chest circumference values into the interface, the “breast volume” value will be propagated in the user table and the digital interface will query the bra table for entries in which “cup hemispheric volume” most closely match “breast volume” and “band length” most closely match “chest circumference” 20. A set of results will be displayed in the interface 21 indicating “manufacturer”, “bra design”, “bra cup size” and “bra band size” values from the bra table for entries in which “cup hemispheric volume” most closely match “breast volume” and “band length” most closely match “chest circumference”.

[0065] As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner and usage of operation will be provided.

[0066] With respect to the above description, then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function, and manner of operation, assembly, and use are deemed to be within the expertise of those skilled in the art, and all equivalent structural variations and relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

[0067] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown, described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.