Adjustable Brassiere Cup Structure for Universal Shaping Garment Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Designing breast supporting garments is challenging due to the natural fluctuation of a woman's breast size over time, leading to a high range of size variability that complicates inventory management for stores and requires multiple purchases by consumers.
Innovation Solution
A fit-adjustable brassiere portion with flexible cups and a rear side back adjuster, featuring highly elastic regions and fit-modifying panels, allowing for a broader fit range and reduced inventory needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If breast supporting garments are constructed to fit a narrow range of breast sizes, then the garment structure can be simplified and manufactured more easily, but it cannot accommodate natural fluctuations in breast size and requires stores to stock multiple sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The brassiere incorporates elastic regions with varying elastic moduli that dynamically adapt to different breast sizes and body fluctuations. The fit-modifying portions with lower elastic modulus allow the cup structure to expand and contract with breast size changes, while the back adjuster with highly elastic regions accommodates variations in chest circumference, enabling a single garment to fit multiple sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment applies different elastic properties to different regions: the fit-modifying portions of the cups have lower elastic modulus for breast accommodation, the back adjuster has highly elastic regions for chest size adjustment, and the main cup regions have higher elastic modulus for structural support. This localized differentiation of material properties enables the garment to simultaneously provide structure and adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If stores stock a wide range of sizes to accommodate breast size variability, then customer fit options are improved, but inventory risk increases due to rarer sizes that may never sell
Solution Approach 1:
The brassiere design makes a single garment size universal across multiple body sizes by incorporating adjustable and elastic regions. The back adjuster with highly elastic regions and fit-modifying portions allow the same garment to accommodate a broader range of chest and breast sizes, enabling stores to carry fewer sizes while still serving diverse customer needs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If fit-modifying portions with lower elastic modulus are added to increase flexibility, then the garment can accommodate more size variations, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The brassiere cup is segmented into distinct regions with different elastic properties: main cup regions with higher elastic modulus for support and fit-modifying portions with lower elastic modulus for flexibility. The back adjuster is segmented into highly elastic regions for size adjustment. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall garment integrity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a more universal fit for a wider range of chest sizes, enabling stores to carry fewer sizes and accommodating breast size fluctuations, while maintaining comfort and support.
Implementation Method 1
The fit-modifying regions each have a lower elastic modulus than the main regions
Implementation Method 2
The rear side of the fit-adjustable brassiere portion includes a back adjuster with highly elastic regions that enables the brassiere portion to fit a broader range of chest sizes
Data Source
AI summary
Designing garments that include brassiere cups can be challenging due to the natural fluctuation of a woman's breast size, as well as a possible disconnect between the size of her breasts and the size of the rest of her body. The high range of size variability places pressure on stores to stock inventories that include great ranges of sizes. This places an inventory risk to the store, since rarer sizes may never sell. The disclosed garment addresses these issues by including a fit-adjustable brassiere portion. The cups of the fit-adjustable brassiere portion include fit-modifying panels that increase their flexibility and elasticity. The rear side of the fit-adjustable brassiere portion includes a back adjuster with highly elastic regions that enables the brassiere portion to fit a broader range of chest sizes. Each of these features give the garment a more universal fit and enable stores to carry fewer sizes.