Support garment testing system
Inventors
Campbell, Lisa • Dufour, Gregory Paul • Munro, Bridget • Wright, Ian • Blair, Kim B. • Kingsley, Daniel A. • Middleton, Luri Robert • Pye, John David • Rapp van Roden, Elizabeth A.
Assignees
Publication Number
US-11604206-B2
Publication Date
2023-03-14
Expiration Date
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Abstract
Aspects herein are directed to a support garment testing system comprising a torso form having a motion tracking sensor associated with one or more breast structures of the torso form. A support garment is secured to the torso form, and the torso form is mounted on a motion platform that, when actuated, causes displacement of the breast structures. The amount of displacement is measured by the sensor, and the data is used to assign a level of support provided by the support garment.
Core Innovation
Aspects herein are directed to a support garment testing system comprising a torso form having a motion tracking sensor associated with one or more breast structures of the torso form. A support garment is secured to the torso form, and the torso form is mounted on a motion platform that, when actuated, causes displacement of the breast structures. The amount of displacement is measured by the sensor, and the data is used to assign a level of support provided by the support garment.
The displacement data captured by the sensor, and optionally data captured through a motion capture system, is used to assign a level of support to the support garment, for example by comparing displacement captured while the support garment is secured to the torso form with displacement captured when a support garment is not secured to the torso form under similar testing conditions. In example aspects, the sensor is positioned within one or more of the first breast structure and the second breast structure including placement within the nipple area, and the motion platform can move through up to six degrees of motion to produce linear and rotational displacement, velocity, and frequency data. By utilizing the system described herein, a measurable and reproducible way of assigning levels of support to support garments is achieved.
Historically it has been difficult to assign a level of support provided by a support garment to a wearer's breasts in a reproducible and measurable way and instead it has often been a subjective determination based on a fit model's perception of the level of support. The torso form is configured so that it is possible to change the size of the first and second breast structures by the addition or removal of materials to or from the first and second breast structures, expanding the use of the torso form to determine the level of support provided by garments for wearers with small, medium, and large breasts. Materials used to create the torso form are selected to replicate breast displacement that naturally occurs when a human wearer engages in activities, and multi-layered constructions (skin layer, breast surrogate material, muscle layer, and a core) are used to facilitate displacement characteristics.
Claims Coverage
Overview: the patent includes three independent claims with eight main inventive features extracted from those claims.
Torso form with first and second breast structures and a superior/inferior z-axis
A torso form comprising a first breast structure and a second breast structure and a superior/inferior z-axis is recited as a core element of the claimed system.
Motion platform coupled to torso and linearly actuatable along the superior/inferior z-axis
A motion platform coupled to the torso and linearly actuatable in a direction aligned with the superior/inferior z-axis is an asserted inventive feature enabling vertical linear actuation of the torso form.
Sensor positioned within one or more breast structures
A sensor positioned within one or more of the first breast structure and the second breast structure is claimed, including examples where the sensor is a motion tracking sensor and may be positioned within a nipple area.
Torso form comprising breast surrogate material and skin layer with sensors in breast structures
The claims recite a torso form where the first and second breast structures comprise a breast surrogate material and a skin layer, and where one or more of the breast structures include a sensor.
Motion platform configured to rotationally move the torso relative to specified axes
The motion platform secured to the torso form is claimed to, when actuated, rotationally move the torso relative to one or more of the superior/inferior z-axis or the anterior/posterior x-axis.
Method step of securing a support garment to a torso form with integrated sensor and defined axes
The method claims include securing the support garment to a torso form that comprises an integrated sensor and defined superior/inferior, medial/lateral, and anterior/posterior axes.
Method step of actuating the motion platform to linearly move aligned with the superior/inferior z-axis
The method claims recite actuating the motion platform to cause the torso form to linearly move in a direction aligned with the superior/inferior z-axis as part of a test cycle.
Method step of measuring displacement of breast structures using the integrated sensor
The method claims recite measuring a first amount of displacement of one or more of the first breast structure and the second breast structure using the integrated sensor while the motion platform is actuated.
Conclusion: The independent claims cover (1) a system combining a torso form with breast structures, an embedded sensor, and a motion platform providing linear and/or rotational movement; (2) a system variant specifying breast surrogate material and skin layer with sensors and rotational motion capability; and (3) a method of testing that secures a support garment, actuates the motion platform along the superior/inferior z-axis, and measures breast displacement with an integrated sensor.
Stated Advantages
Provides a measurable and reproducible way of assigning levels of support to support garments.
Enables a consumer to confidently select a support garment with the appropriate level of support.
Positioning the sensor within the breast structures, including the nipple area, reduces wear and tear on the sensor and reduces inadvertent displacement of the sensor.
Torso form configurability to change breast structure size expands use to determine support for wearers with small, medium, and large breasts.
Positioning the sensor at the nipple area enables the sensor to capture the maximum amount of displacement experienced by the breast structures.
Documented Applications
Assessing the level of support provided by a support garment to a female wearer's breasts.
Assigning a level of support to multiple different support garments in a reproducible and measurable way so a consumer can select appropriate support.
Using external markers and a motion capture system to capture movement data to further refine the level of support assigned to a support garment.
Applying the same testing paradigm to a male torso form to determine support level provided by garments such as a compression short, a lower-body undergarment, or a jock strap.
Adjusting torso form breast structure size by depositing or withdrawing breast surrogate material to evaluate garments for different breast sizes.
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