GB2304194A - Device for determining the difference between two linear measurements - Google Patents

Abstract

A flexible tape 1 is divided into two parts 2, 3 of unequal length by a separator 4. The two parts 2, 3 of the tape (1) each have at least one linear graduation 5, 7, 8, 9 originating at the separator 4, the respective graduations of the two parts 2, 3 running in opposite directions. The longest part 2 of the tape 1 also bears a sliding cursor 10. Application to the taking of measurements for the direct determination of brassiere sizes and cup depths.

Description

Device For Determining The Difference Between Two Linear Measurements The present invention concerns a device, of the graduated flexible tape type, which enables the difference between two linear measurements made along any lines, notably curved lines following a closed contour, to be determined directly and precisely whether this involves the measurements of a person or the dimensions of an object of any kind.

This invention is aimed in particular at the field of corsetry and, more particularly, the taking of measurements for determining the size and depth of cups required by any woman when buying a brassiere. The system of brassiere sizes and cup depths is in fact based on taking two measurements and determining the difference between them: - the first measurement is that of the lower part of the chest (the circumference of the thorax below the breasts). This measurement determines the size; - the second measurement is that of the bust size (the measurement taken at the tip of the breasts); - the difference between these two measurements determines the volume of the bust, and therefore the depth of cups required.

There exist about ten sizes, and several cup depths (3 or 4 on average) for each size. Moreover, both the measurements of size and those of depth have associated tolerances, thus making the principle of size determination highly complex.

Professional bodies, manufacturers and certain retailers (mail order) have created size comparison charts.

These appear in various forms and styles of presentation, making their use very difficult and unlikely for users and customers who have only a simple tailor's tape measure at their disposal.

In order to facilitate the taking of measurements of a person, or the measurement of the circumference of an object, devices have already been proposed which have a graduated flexible tape, including refinements or accessories which aim to facilitate the use thereof. In this context, reference can be made to French patents No 2187106 and No 2278278. However, the means described in these documents do not resolve the problem of the direct determination, that is to say without calculation and by means of a simple reading, of the difference between two linear measurements.

According to the present invention, this problem is resolved by a device for determining the difference between two linear measurements, which consists essentially of a graduated flexible tape, divided into two parts of unequal length by a separation means situated at an intermediate point on the tape, the two parts of the tape each having at least one linear graduation originating at the separation means, the respective graduations on the longest part and on the shortest part of the tape running in opposite directions, and the longest part of the tape bearing a sliding cursor able to be used both in order to read a first linear measurement and as a starting point for a second linear measurement, the difference between these two measurements thus being able to be read directly from the graduation or one of the graduations on the shortest part of the tape.

When this device is applied to the determination of sizes and depths of brassiere cups, the longest part of the flexible tape, provided with the cursor, has at least one graduation directly indicating brassiere sizes in a predefined system, and the shortest part of the flexible tape is provided with at least one graduation indicating directly depths of cups in a predefined system.

Such a device firstly enables the brassiere size to be determined precisely through the use of the longest part of the tape, which part is graduated appropriately and on which the cursor is made to slide, the distance between the separation means (forming the origin of the measurement) and the cursor representing a first linear measurement (the measurement round the bottom part of the chest). Secondly, by keeping the cursor in the position previously reached, which then becomessthe starting point for the measurement, and by also using the shortest part of the tape, a second linear measurement (the bust size) is determined.However, given the position of the point of origin of the graduation borne by the shortest part of the tape, this then indicates directly the difference between the second linear measurement and the first linear measurement, which difference has, in the particular application under discussion, a correspondence with the cup depth. It will therefore be understood that, if the shortest part of the tape is graduated directly according to a predefined system for indicating the cup depth, the latter indication is read directly as the device is used.

Advantageously, the graduation on the shortest part of the flexible tape has areas represented by specific colours, corresponding to different cup depths in a predefined system, thereby constituting an easy-to-use "colour coding".

According to one advantageous embodiment of the device that is the object of the invention, the means of separating the two parts of the flexible tape, of unequal length, consists of an added separator fixed to this tape and provided with at least one mark corresponding to the "zero" point of the graduations in opposite directions borne by the two parts of the tape, the separator also being provided with a gripping tab.

As regards the cursor, borne by the longest part of the tape, this is at least partially transparent and, again, provided with at least one mark and a gripping tab. This gripping tab, like that of the aforementioned separator, preferably has a distinctive sign affording an easy distinction between the separator and the cursor in order to facilitate the use of the device. In particular, the respective distinctive signs of the separator and cursor can be the figures "one" and "two", thus reminding the user of their respective roles as starting points for the measurement during the two successive phases in the use of the device.

Overall, the device according to the invention affords simple, rapid and precise measurement, able to be carried out by the user herself, without risk of error and with no calculation, giving directly the information that is of use in a predefined system. Of course, this device can also facilitate and accelerate, by simplifying it, the work of professionals in the field of corsetry, for whom the taking of measurements precedes a sale.

In any case, the invention will be better understood through the description which follows, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatical drawing which depicts, by way of example, an embodiment of this device for determining the difference between two linear measurements: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device in accordance with the present invention; Figures 2 and 3 are diagrams illustrating the use of the device in Figure 1.

As Figure 1 shows, the device essentially comprises a flexible tape, designated as a whole by the reference numeral 1, and which is produced from a flexible but strong and stable material (stretch-free). The flexible tape 1 is divided into two parts of unequal length, designated respectively as 2 and 3, by a separator 4 which takes the form of a small added plate, fixed, for example by means of gluing or welding, to the tape 1 at an intermediate point on the latter.

The longest part 2 of the flexible tape 1 has on its internal face a first graduation 5, in centimetres or inches, going, for example, up to 125 centimetres. The start of this first graduation 5 (the "zero" point) is located on the separator 4, and represented precisely, for example by two marks 6 disposed so as to face each other on this separator 4, on each side of a central groove.

The shortest part 3 of the flexible tape 1 has on its internal face another graduation 7, in centimetres or inches, going, for example, up to 35 centimetres. The start of this other graduation (the "zero" point) is common with that of the graduation 5 on the longest part 2, but this other graduation 7 runs in the opposite direction to the first.

Given the particular application of the device described here, the external face of the flexible tape 1 also carries other graduations or information, not in centimetres but in the form of "sizes" and, more particularly: - on the longest part 2 of the tape 1, brassiere sizes in a predefined system are indicated at 8; - on the shortest part 3 of the tape 1, cup depths, also in a predefined system, are indicated at 9.

The longest part 2 of the flexible tape 1 is provided with a cursor 10. The cursor 10, sliding on the tape 1, can be immobilized simply by applying pressure at any point on the part 2, between the separator 4 and the free end of this part 2. The cursor 10 is at least partially transparent, so as to afford an easy reading of the graduation and/or of the brassiere size corresponding to its position. This cursor 10 also has, for example on its front edge, two marks 11 disposed opposite each other on each side of a central groove, so as to give a precise measurement situated in line with these two marks.

The separator 4 and the cursor 10 advantageously bear respective tabs 12 and 13, facilitating their gripping. The tabs 12 and 13 are preferably provided with distinctive, clearly visible signs, such as distinct colours and/or numbers (such as the numbers "1" and "2" respectively), so as to avoid any confusion between these two elements and thereby to facilitate the use of the device.

The indications of sizes and depths, applied at 8 and 9 to the external face of the flexible tape 1, can correspond to any existing system of measurement used by professional bodies, manufacturers or retailers. On the shortest part 2 of the tape 1, the letters and ranges representing cup depths (A, B, C, etc) are advantageously differentiated by specific colours for each depth, enabling a system for organizing sales to be implemented which uses colour codes.

In addition to the areas reserved for graduations and for indicating sizes and depths, the internal and external faces of the flexible tape 1 can receive other information and, in particular, advertising messages.

The use of the device previously described takes place in two stages, illustrated respectively by the diagrams in Figures 2 and 3.

The first operation, illustrated by Figure 2, consists of determining the size of the brassiere. With one hand, the user grips the device by the separator 4, and holds this separator 4 (and therefore the "zero" point of the graduations) on the front of her rib cage, just under the bust. With her other hand, the user forms a loop with the longest part 2 of the tape 1, passing it behind her back, and brings this part 2 back in front of her, sliding the cursor 10 until the front edge thereof comes into contact with the separator 4. The size of brassiere required then appears opposite the marks 11 in the reading window of the cursor 10 (for example: European size 75). The user then takes the cursor 10 with her first hand in order to lock it securely in place on the tape 1.

The second operation, illustrated by Figure 3 and following on from the first, enables the cup depth required to be determined. To this end, while keeping the cursor 10 securely in place on the longest part 2 of the tape 1 by pressing with the fingers of one hand, the user raises the whole tape 1 a few centimetres, in order to determine her bust size. In so doing, the user lets the shortest part 3 of the tape 1 slide through her fingers by the required length, allowing it to be superimposed on the cursor 10. An indication of the cup depth, borne by the shortest part 3 of the tape 2, then corresponds to the marks 11 on the cursor 10, which thus indicate directly the cup depth required, expressed notably by a code such as A, B, C, D, DD, etc and/or by a specific colour.

Indeed, as shown by a comparison of the diagrams in Figures 2 and 3, the device provides a direct determination of the difference between the measurement of the bust size (the closed contour followed by the tape 1 in Figure 3) and the measurement of the bottom part of the chest (the closed contour followed by the tape 1 in Figure 2).

Of course, the invention is not limited solely to the embodiment of this device for determining the difference between two linear measurements which was described above, by way of example; on the contrary, it embraces all variant embodiments and applications respecting the same principle.

Thus, notably, constructive modifications to the separator and cursor or the choice of other units or systems of measurement with respect to the graduations would not fall outside the scope of the invention, the device being, moreover, capable of combining several graduations in various systems, so as to permit a comparison of the systems of measurement and make this device universal. Similarly, the device that is the object of the invention can be used to determine other types of measurements on persons, or measurements of dimensions on objects of any kind, as long as a determination of the difference between two linear measurements is required.

Claims (6)

1. Device for determining directly the difference between two linear measurements made along any lines, notably curved lines following a closed contour, characterised in that it consists essentially of a graduated flexible tape (1), divided into two parts (2, 3) of unequal length by a separation means (4) situated at an intermediate point on the tape, the two parts (2, 3) of the tape (1) each having at least one linear graduation (5, 7, 8, 9) originating at the separation means (4), the respective graduations on the longest part (2) and on the shortest part (3) of the tape (1) running in opposite directions, and the longest part (2) of the tape (1) bearing a sliding cursor (10) able to be used both in order to read a first linear measurement and as a starting point for a second linear measurement, the difference between these two measurements thus being able to be read directly from the graduation or one of the graduations on the shortest part (3) of the tape (1).

2. Device for determining the difference between two linear measurements according to Claim 1, characterised in that it is designed for determining sizes and depths of brassiere cups, the longest part (2) of the flexible tape (1), provided with the cursor (10), being provided with at least one graduation (8) directly indicating brassiere sizes in a predefined system, and the shortest part (3) of the flexible tape (1) being provided with at least one graduation (9) directly indicating cup depths in a predefined system.

3. Device for determining the difference between two linear measurements according to Claim 2, characterised in that the graduation (9) on the shortest part (3) of the flexible tape (1) has areas represented by specific colours, corresponding to different cup depths in a predefined system.

4. Device for determining the difference between two linear measurements according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the means of separating the two parts (2, 3) of the flexible tape (1), of unequal length, consists of an added separator (4) fixed to this tape (1) and provided with at least one mark (6) corresponding to the "zero" point of the graduations in opposite directions (5, 7, 8, 9) borne by the two parts (2, 3) of the tape (1), the separator (4) also being provided with a gripping tab (12).

5. Device for determining the difference between two linear measurements according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the cursor (10) borne by the longest part (2) of the tape (1) is at least partially transparent and provided with at least one mark (11) and a gripping tab (13).

6. Device for determining the difference between two linear measurements according to Claims 4 and 5 together, characterised in that the respective gripping tabs (12, 13) of the separator (4) and cursor (10) have distinctive signs, such as figures.