JP2013538945A - Mannequins, methods and systems for the purchase, fabrication and repair of clothes - Google Patents

Abstract

A mannequin, method and system for facilitating the creation, modification and / or purchase of clothing by a user. A mannequin is a body that includes an outer body contour that is substantially similar to the body of an anticipated user of clothing and / or ornaments; one or more of the performance of clothing and / or ornaments tailored to the mannequin Connected to a plurality of sensors attached to the body to provide a quantitative indication of; and sensors operable to transmit one or more quantitative indications of the performance of the garment and / or decoration Includes data transmission interface.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a mannequin, method and system that facilitates making, repairing and / or purchasing clothing and / or ornaments. In particular, the system and method involve the use of a mannequin with sensors and / or mechanisms that provide one or more quantitative indicators of fitness and / or comfort.

  For example, Amazon. When purchasing clothing using an online shopping system such as com, items are typically selected only by the two-dimensional appearance of the item. In contrast, when purchasing clothing at a retail store, the item of clothing is displayed on a mannequin. Unfortunately, mannequins used in most retail environments typically duplicate the tall, slender, muscular male and female human body shape. In an online environment, items are selected from a still image on a web page, and typically the size of a garment is selected from a drop-down list that allows size selection according to current sizing practices .

  Selecting a garment based solely on the garment size index often results in a garment that does not fit, or worse, that apparently does not look good, or even is not worn. The waste of time, money and materials is not only an economic issue, but also a sustainability issue.

  Often, when selecting clothing based on clothing size indicators, items that may have been desirable when viewed on the mannequin and online images are not desirable when the clothing is received, and the customer is not aware of their body shape and preferences. Spend more time and more resources to determine if you have selected the right item to fit. In both the real world and online environment, it is difficult to get a realistic view of how customers feel about clothing items and how well they fit. Factors such as comfort are virtually impossible to determine based on viewing the mannequin and / or online images.

  This problem is exacerbated by sizing variations, style variations, material variations, etc., across countries, clothing manufacturers, and even within the clothing range of the manufacturer itself. There is a need to improve clothing selection methods.

  A similar problem occurs when making or repairing clothing. If the customer is not present during the process of making or repairing the garment, it is difficult to ensure that the garment is snug and comfortable.

  Any discussion of prior art in this specification is included for the purpose of providing background, and such prior art is either widely known or part of the common general knowledge in the field of the invention. It should not be construed as allowing the formation of parts.

In the first mode, the first mode is not the only mode, or indeed the widest mode, but the present invention:
A body including an outer contour that is substantially similar to the body of an anticipated user of clothing and / or ornaments;
A plurality of sensors attached to the body to provide one or more quantitative indications of the performance of the garment and / or decorations tailored to the mannequin, and one or more of the performance of the garment and / or decoration A mannequin is provided that includes a data transmission interface connected to a sensor operable to transmit a plurality of quantitative indications.

  According to one embodiment, a quantitative indication of the performance of garments and / or ornaments tailored to a mannequin can include pressure, airflow, body heat, fabric flexibility, garment permeability, material stress, fabric stretch. And one or more of an indication of the degree of wear and the integrity of clothing and / or ornaments.

  According to another embodiment, the outer body contour is defined over at least a portion of the body by a plurality of adjustable devices operable to cause the mannequin to replicate one or more outer body contours of the user. Is done.

According to yet another embodiment, the mannequin is:
A data receiving interface for receiving user measurements associated with one or more outer body contours of the user; and converting the received measurements into signals receivable by a plurality of adjustable devices; A plurality of adjustable devices, wherein upon receiving the signal, the plurality of adjustable devices are actuated to employ a physical location that causes the mannequin to replicate one or more outer body contours of the user; And / or controlled.

  The plurality of adjustable devices may include a movable piston, and the plurality of sensors may be moved to replicate one or more outer body contours of the user by means of a garment or decorative article fitted to the mannequin. The force applied to one or more of the possible pistons may be measured.

  One or more movable pistons are actuated by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure, and the force applied to the movable piston by clothing or decorative articles is measured by one or more hydraulic or pneumatic pressure sensors. Alternatively, the adjustable device may include a movable piston that is actuated by electromagnetic means or driven by an electric motor.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a system for making, correcting and / or purchasing clothing for or by a customer, the system comprising:
A mannequin:
A body including an outer contour that is substantially similar to the body of an anticipated user of clothing and / or ornaments;
A plurality of sensors attached to the body to provide one or more quantitative indications of the performance of the garment and / or decorations tailored to the mannequin, and one or more of the performance of the garment and / or decoration A mannequin including a data interface connected to a sensor operable to transmit a plurality of quantitative indications; and for generating a graphical representation of a quantitative indication of the performance of clothing and / or ornaments tailored to the mannequin Includes a presentation module.

According to one embodiment, the system:
A receiving interface for receiving user measurements associated with one or more outer body contours of the user; and converting the received measurements into signals receivable by a plurality of adjustable devices; And when receiving the signal, the plurality of adjustable devices employ a physical location that causes the mannequin to replicate one or more outer body contours of the user.

  According to another embodiment, the system further includes a data transmission interface for transmitting a graphical representation of the quantitative display.

  The graphical representation of the quantitative display may include a coded overlay on the graphic image. The graphic image may include one of the photographic images of the garment fitted to the mannequin. The graphical representation may include areas of different transparency, areas of different color shades and / or areas of different brightness.

  According to one embodiment, the graphic representation includes regions of different transparency and regions of different chromatic shades, where the chromatic shades indicate the type of quantitative display and the transparency indicates the magnitude of the quantitative display.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a method that facilitates the creation, modification and / or purchase of clothing by a user, the method comprising:
To provide an adjustable mannequin:
A body including an outer contour that is substantially similar to the body of an anticipated user of clothing and / or ornaments;
Multiple sensors mounted on the outer contour of the body to provide one or more quantitative indications of the performance of the garment and / or decoration tailored to the mannequin, and the performance of the garment and / or decoration Providing an adjustable mannequin including a data transmission interface coupled to a sensor operable to transmit one or more quantitative indications of:
Combining the mannequin with clothing and / or ornaments;
Receiving a quantitative display from the mannequin via the data interface; and providing the user with a graphical representation of the quantitative display via the data interface.

According to one embodiment, the method is:
Receiving physical dimensions outside the expected user of the garment and / or ornament via the data interface;
Adjusting the mannequin according to the received external physical dimensions;
The mannequin includes a plurality of adjustable devices operable to adjust its physical dimensions to replicate one or more outer body contours of the user. The expected user physical dimensions may include one or more of the expected user height and the length or width of the expected user body part.

According to another embodiment, the method is:
Generating a display of clothing and / or decoration fit on the processor and from the quantitative display of performance; and providing the display to the user via the data interface.

According to another embodiment, the method is:
Receiving one or more preferences of the expected user of the garment and / or decoration via the data interface; and adjusting the graphic representation and / or quantitative display according to the one or more preferences Further included.

  Garments may include any one or more of shirts, blouses, dresses, skirts, vests, jumpers, jackets, trousers, suits, shoes, hats or gloves, and ornaments include watches, scarves, bracelets, anklets , Any one or more of a necklace, a fascinator, or a girdle.

According to yet another embodiment, the method is:
Adjusting the mannequin to a new position;
Receiving other quantitative indications from the mannequin regarding the fit of clothing and / or decorations via the data interface; and graphical representations of other quantitative indications corresponding to the new position of the mannequin via the data interface Further providing to the user.

  In order to assist the understanding of the present invention and to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 shows a mannequin according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 shows a system for making, modifying and / or purchasing clothing for or by a customer. FIG. 4 shows a graphical representation of a quantitative display of clothing performance, according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. Figure 3 shows a mannequin according to another embodiment of the invention. Figure 3 shows a mannequin according to another embodiment of the invention. Fig. 6 shows the mannequin of Fig. 5 including a shirt with sleeves. 6 illustrates a method for facilitating the creation, modification and / or purchase of clothing by a user according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows continuously how the movable piston sensor 22 moves from a contracted position inside the mannequin of FIG. 1 to a different extended position outside the mannequin, depending on the customer input shape. FIG. 1 shows continuously how the movable piston sensor 22 moves from a contracted position inside the mannequin of FIG. 1 to a different extended position outside the mannequin, depending on the customer input shape. FIG. 1 shows continuously how the movable piston sensor 22 moves from a contracted position inside the mannequin of FIG. 1 to a different extended position outside the mannequin, depending on the customer input shape. FIG. 18 shows a cross-sectional view of the fuselage of yet another mannequin embodiment 10c. 1 is a schematic diagram of a computer system capable of implementing the present invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention include mannequins, methods and systems that facilitate the fabrication, repair and / or purchase of garments and / or ornaments. In the drawings, the elements of the invention are illustrated in a concise summary form, and only the specific details necessary to understand the embodiments of the invention are present, but the present disclosure is cluttered with excessive detail that is apparent to a skilled reader. Shown not to let

  The skilled reader can match one or more items of clothing and / or decoration to an appropriately sized mannequin, and in measuring the performance of the clothing and / or decoration, It will be appreciated that detailed information is provided to the user as to how well it fits the user. This is accomplished by placing several sensors on the mannequin that collect data from the mannequin.

  If the mannequin is located in the store, the customer may require that the garment article be matched to the mannequin so that a graphic representation of the garment performance can be seen directly. Alternatively, if the mannequin is located remotely from the customer, the customer may be provided with an image of the clothing article fitted to the mannequin, overlaid with performance data.

  Further developments in technology may provide improvements with respect to the sensors and methods in which measurements are taken by the mannequin, or with respect to the way the customer views the performance data of the actual item of clothing on the mannequin. The present invention should not be considered limited to only those methods currently available for sensing and providing images.

  The mannequin may represent the entire human body, or a part of the human body, for example, a body such as an arm, hand, or foot. The mannequin may represent a part of the animal's body or any other suitable body. However, for the sake of brevity, the following description refers only to a mannequin that replicates the human body, but skilled readers can readily adopt this embodiment for other types of suitable bodies.

  Garments may include, for example, shirts, blouses, dresses, skirts, vests, jumpers, jackets, trousers, suits, shoes, hats, gloves and / or other fashion accessories. The ornament may include, for example, a watch, a scarf, a bracelet, an anklet, a necklace, a horse saddle, a fascinator and / or a girdle. For the sake of brevity, the following description refers only to garments, but skilled readers can readily adopt embodiments that fit other types of suitable ornaments.

  FIG. 1 shows a mannequin 10a according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, the mannequin 10a includes an elongated oval cylindrical body 12, and a neck 14, arms 16 and legs 18, each of which is an elongated cylindrical shape. A head 20 is also placed on the neck 14. The mannequin 10a replicates the human body in a very basic form.

  The expected user body of the garment is replicated by adjusting the length of the torso 12, neck 14, and the length of each limb 16, 18. In this regard, each of the body parts 12, 14, 16, 18 is made to be extensible and fixable in a desired location. For example, if details such as customer height, torso and waist dimensions, arm length, leg length, etc. are known, the mannequin 10a can be adjusted to these dimensions.

  The mannequin 10a includes a plurality of movable piston sensors 22 disposed on each of the torso 12, neck 14, arms 16 and legs 18. The movable piston sensor 22 is adapted to extend outwardly from each body part 12, 14, 16, 18 and is again retracted to their original position so that this process can be repeated. Be adapted. The movable piston sensor 22 includes a sensor for providing one or more quantitative indications of the performance of clothing and / or ornaments tailored to the mannequin 10a.

  The movable piston sensor 22 measures the force applied to the movable piston 22 by clothes matched to the mannequin. The movable piston sensor 22 is initially arranged to replicate one or more outer body contours of the user. A force is applied to the movable piston sensor 22 when the garment is applied to the mannequin 10a, particularly when the garment is tight. The applied force may be used to determine the tightness of the garment.

  In one embodiment, the movable piston sensor 22 applies a force that opposes any item of clothing or decoration that is fitted to the mannequin 10a. The opposing force replicates the opposing force applied by the user's skin or muscle tissue to the article of clothing or decoration. By applying an opposing force that matches the opposing force applied by the user's body, the movable piston sensor 22 is adapted to the appearance of the mannequin and the pressure reading of the movable piston sensor 22 to the user. To ensure that it matches the appearance and pressure of clothing.

  As the garment is applied to the mannequin 10a, the mannequin 10a is adjusted by the movable piston sensor 22 according to the customer's dimensions. The movable piston sensor 22 advantageously has an upper pressure threshold to prevent damage to clothes that are too small. In another method, the pressure required to replicate the body contour outside the user is measured when the garment is applied.

  The mannequin 10a further includes a data transmission interface connected to the movable piston sensor 22 operable to transmit one or more quantitative indications of the garment performance of the sensor. The data transmission interface may transmit all pressures of the movable piston sensor 22 individually and without conversion. Alternatively, the mannequin 10a may include a data conversion function that can transmit data from multiple movable piston sensors 22 together, or alternatively, provides a filtered or converted version of pressure.

  The data transmission interface may include any suitable data transmission interface, including raw data transfer and data transfer using protocols such as TCP / IP or similar protocols.

  Movement and sensing of the movable piston sensor 22 may be achieved using any suitable known means, and an electric actuator or a precise servomotor may be used. The movable piston sensor 22 may be telescopic so that the extension and / or contraction of the movable piston sensor 22 changes only the physical position of one end of the movable piston 22.

  The plurality of movable piston sensors 22 replicates one or more curves and / or one or more contours along the length of each body part 12, 14, 16, 18. Rather, it is arranged at a density that allows one to accurately detect the performance of the body part on one or more curves and / or one or more contours.

  For example, the movable piston sensor 22 of the leg 18 replicates the body contour outside the customer's calf, knee and / or thigh region, and thus corresponds to the clothing on the customer's calf, knee and / or thigh region. Can be stretched and / or shrunk to accurately sense the pressure to do. The movable piston sensor 22 of the torso 12 also replicates and exerts pressure on the body contours outside the customer's buttocks, lower back, upper back, lower heel, shoulder, abdomen and / or chest area. Can be stretched and contracted to detect. The movable piston sensor 22 of the arm 16 may be stretched and / or contracted to replicate and sense pressure on the outer body of the customer's forearm, elbow and / or upper arm. The movable piston sensor 22 of the biceps, pectoral muscles, abdomen, buttocks, quadriceps and / or neck panel 24 is used by the customer's biceps, pectoral muscles, abdomen, buttocks, quadriceps and / or neck. May be stretched and / or contracted to replicate the outer body contours and to sense pressure on them.

  It will be appreciated that the sensor and / or adjustable device may be operated hydraulically and / or pneumatically, for example to define the body contour outside the mannequin 10a and to measure the applied pressure. The merchant will be understood. Other techniques, such as springs, may be used to measure pressure and / or define the outer body contour. Similarly, the sensor and adjustable device may be separate. For example, the sensor may be on or adjacent to the adjustable device.

  In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the plurality of adjustable devices adjust the outer body contour of the mannequin 10a to resemble the customer's outer body contour and accurately sense the pressure. An inflatable bladder sensor is used. In one particular embodiment, a combination of a movable piston sensor 22 and an inflatable bladder sensor is used, and the two types of devices define the body contour outside the mannequin 10a for different parts of the body. Used for.

  FIG. 2 illustrates a system 200 for making, correcting, and / or purchasing clothing for or by a customer.

  System 200 includes a mannequin 10a and a computer 205. The computer 205 includes a receiving interface for receiving user measurements in the form of a graphical user interface 210. The measurement is associated with one or more outer body contours of the user.

  The customer may be measured by himself or another person, such as a friend, or by a store clerk in the store environment.

  The customer's outer body contour is dynamic as it changes with movement. For example, the outer body contour changes with walking, running, crouching, poking and / or squatting. The measured value may include measured values in two or more postures. The two or more postures may include a standing posture and / or one or more other postures. Standing posture may be measured at a position where the customer is standing with their feet aligned, widened to shoulder width, relaxed and stretched back.

  One or more other postures bend one or both elbows to a right angle; bend one or both knees to a right angle; bend one or both elbows to the maximum; bend one or both knees to the maximum; Bend one or both elbows to an angle between the extended arm and the maximum angle; bend one or both knees straight to an angle between the maximum angle; the customer knees; the customer knees both; Customer crouched; Customer partially crooked; Customer crouched; Customer partially crouched; Customer bent back; Customer mated legs; Customer spread legs from shoulder; Arm raised sideways; Arm May include raising the arm over the head.

  Two or more postures may be used by the computer 205 to build a dynamic range of customer movement and body shape.

  The measurements may include measurements related to actions performed by the customer. An example of such an action is a golf swing or bending in a specific way. This allows the system 200 to determine one or more quantitative indications of performance when certain actions are taken.

  The measurements may then be entered into the graphical user interface 210. In an alternative embodiment, the data may be uploaded by the customer over the internet. In this case, the computer 205 may include a web server that provides a graphical user interface 210 to a remote user via a web browser.

  The graphical user interface may also be used to receive one or more preferences related to a quantitative display of performance. Such preferences may include a strong preference for a loose collar, a preference for body-fitting pants, or any other suitable preference.

  The computer is operatively connected to the mannequin 10a by a wired connection 215. As will be readily appreciated by the skilled reader, a combination of a wired connection 215 and a wireless connection may be used, but a wireless connection may be used as well. The computer 205 converts the measurement value into a signal that can be received by the plurality of movable piston sensors 22. This signal then electrically controls the movement of the movable piston sensor 22 in accordance with the input measurement.

  The computer 205 further includes a receiving interface for receiving one or more quantitative indications of garment performance tailored to the mannequin. The quantitative display of performance may comprise raw data read by multiple sensors, or filtered data.

  The computer 205 includes a presentation module for generating a graphical representation of a quantitative display of the performance of clothing and / or ornaments tailored to the mannequin. Not only preferences, but also empirical data, for example, may be used to filter the data before generating a graphical representation. Such filtering may include exaggerating or ignoring certain quantitative displays.

  The present invention provides any one method of obtaining outer body contour data from a customer, or such data is transmitted to the mannequin so that the outer body contour is similar to that of the customer. It is not limited to any one method for adjusting the physical position of the movable piston sensor 22 or other device to establish a body contour.

  In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the system 200 further includes a scanning device. The scanning device may include a three-dimensional scanning technique that uses a laser or any other technique for the purpose of scanning a body contour outside the customer.

  When the scanning system is used to obtain a body contour outside the customer, one or more other postures may include, for example, the customer walking; running; poking; squatting; and bending the knee or elbow Good.

  FIG. 3 shows a graphical representation 300 of a quantitative display of clothing performance, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

  Graphic representation 300 includes an image 305 of a garment tailored to the mannequin and a coded overlay 310 representing a quantitative display of performance.

  The encoded overlay 310 includes regions of different transparency, and the overlay transparency level indicates the magnitude of the quantitative display.

  As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the coded overlay 310 may be represented as a complete image rather than an overlay. Similarly, instead of transparency, color brightness may be used to indicate the magnitude of the quantitative display. For example, a bright red color may be used to indicate a particularly tight area, and a faint red color may be used to indicate an area that is tough but not very tight.

  The encoded overlay 310 may include thresholding of data such that no quantitative display level above or below a certain threshold is shown. In one simple embodiment, the encoded overlay 310 may simply have two values, i.e. two values to indicate the presence or absence of a potential problem.

  The coded overlay 310 of FIG. 3 shows that the shirt is cramped around the abdomen.

  In an alternative embodiment (not shown), multiple types of quantitative displays are shown in the form of coded overlays 310. Each type of quantity is coded using a different color, and the transparency level of each color indicates the magnitude of the quantitative display.

  For any part of the mannequin that is not covered by clothing or ornamental articles, these uncovered parts are used to improve the user experience when viewing the image of the mannequin with clothing or decoration items placed on it. The image is adjusted to replace the image representing the user. In one embodiment, the uncovered portion is replaced with an image of a skin tone similar to the user's skin tone.

  In another embodiment, an image of a dressed mannequin is a user's body captured during the process of scanning the user's body to obtain the outer dimensions of the user. It is adjusted to replace the actual representation of the corresponding body part. The best representation of how the item of clothing will look when worn by the user by adjusting the image of the mannequin so that the uncovered part of the mannequin merges with the body part of this image of the user Is provided to users.

  FIG. 4 illustrates a mannequin 400 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The mannequin 400 includes a plurality of sensors attached to the outer contour of the body in the form of pressure sensors 405 and airflow sensors 410.

  The airflow sensor 410 includes a blower and an air circulation sensor. The airflow sensor 140 may be advantageous in detecting how hot or how close the item of clothing may be felt to the body.

  Other types of sensors include thermal insulation sensors, fabric softness or texture sensors, garment permeability sensors, material stress sensors, garment stretch sensors, and garment integrity, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. A sensor to detect is included.

  Optional, such as microcell detection, mechanical differential detection, load cell and / or strain gauge, dedicated pressure sensor, tactile sensor, fiber optic sensor, inductive sensor and / or piezoelectric sensor to provide an indication of the pressure applied to the mannequin Any suitable detection technique may be used.

  The microcell sensor may be enclosed within the movable piston sensor 22 or inserted into the side surface to measure changes in water pressure or air pressure.

  The mechanical differential sensor may monitor the energy consumed by the mechanical actuator to increase body shape for a moment with or without clothing. The difference between the two energy readings may be calibrated to provide a relative indication of the tightness of the combined clothes.

  The load cell and / or strain gauge may be placed inside the movable piston sensor 22 or applied to the surface of the mannequin skin. Typically these are resistive components, but other techniques such as inductive, capacitive or piezoelectric may be utilized. Resistive transducers change their resistance according to the level of force applied to the sensor surface in a predictable and reproducible manner.

  The dedicated pressure sensor may operate in a manner similar to microcell detection. The sensor may consist of an integrated volume of air and load cell sensors that can provide an electrical signal indicating the level of applied force when squeezed or under pressure. The advantage is that the sensor can be placed in close proximity to the components used to replicate the body contour outside the user.

  The tactile sensor may be constructed from a piezoresistive material that exists between two layers of silver on a flexible backing tape. The advantage of this type of technology is that the tactile sensor is small, lightweight and flexible. Furthermore, the sensor area may be constructed in the form of an array that concentrates several detectors in a narrow area.

  Fiber optic sensors may operate by using a wide range of optical principles, and may basically utilize optical fibers that allow for single point pressure and / or force measurements. The advantage of this type of sensor is that the fiber itself can have a small mass and can transmit signals over long distances with little signal degradation.

  The inductive sensor may operate by measuring the displacement of the septum by a change in inductance. These sensors may be similar in size to load cell sensors.

  Piezoelectric sensors use the piezoelectric effect (ie, measurable voltage) in the crystal that occurs when a force is applied.

  Most of these sensors may be arranged in the form of active or passive sensor networks. In particular, wired, wireless, passive RF or optical technology may be utilized to send data back to the host computer.

  The pressure sensor may measure and report to the customer the pressure that the clothing applies to the body in more than one posture in order to determine if the customer is comfortable wearing the clothing daily.

  Instead of using a pressure sensor, the movable piston sensor 22 is such that once the pressure sensor is stretched to fit the outside body contour of the customer, the pressure sensor contracts when the article of clothing presses the pressure sensor. Sensitivity to contact may be high. Accordingly, movable piston sensor 22 may be biased and contract when pressure is applied to indicate to the customer how the article of clothing will look.

  Such movement may be recorded, which also provides an indication of where and how much pressure the clothing article is applying to the body.

  A pressure sensor may be included on each of the movable piston sensors 22, or may be included on only a subset of the movable piston sensors. Advantageously, it is known that it is important to align the pressure sensor on at least one movable piston sensor 22 or on the neck, shoulders, biceps, wrist, chest, upper body, waist and abdomen. Included on a suitable subset of the movable piston sensor 22 within the area of interest. For example, one movable piston sensor 22 on the biceps may provide an appropriate indication of pressure, but a sensor ring surrounding the neck or waist may be required.

  In one embodiment, the pressure applied by the garment to the movable piston sensor 22 is measured by the current supplied to the movable piston sensor 22 to stretch the garment when the garment is fitted.

  In other embodiments, the pressure applied by the garment to the movable piston sensor 22 is determined by measuring the tightness of the garment on the mannequin 10a, 400. In this embodiment, tightness is measured by measuring garment stretch. In this example, the pressure indication is provided by covering the mannequin 10a, 400 with a special fabric that can report on the pressure received by the mannequin 10a, 400 and / or by measuring the change in chemical structure. .

  Mannequins also provide other quantitative indications of fit, such as airflow, body heat, fabric softness, garment permeability, stress testing, customer weight change tolerance and garment and / or decoration integrity May be.

  The airflow indication may be provided by mannequins 10a, 10b, 10c with an opening through which air is delivered, and a blower under the fitted clothes and / or ornaments. The airflow display provides the customer with an indication of sufficient or insufficient airflow and an estimate of the level of sweating when dressed.

  The body heat display includes one or more heating elements and a plurality of thermometers for measuring the temperature between the mannequins 10a, 400 and the clothing and / or the heat dissipated through the clothing and / or decoration. It may be provided by the mannequin 10a, 400 provided. Temperature readings from multiple thermometers show how heat is dissipated through the combined garments, how well the garments are suitable for cold weather, how comfortable the garments are in different weather conditions and recommended temperature ranges Provide an indication of this.

  The fabric softness indication may be provided by using a pressure sensor to measure the softness of the material from which the combined garment and / or ornament is constructed. A measure of fabric softness may provide an indication of how soft the fabric is and / or whether the garment is suitable for being worn naked. This embodiment is particularly attractive to customers who purchase underwear and / or have sensitive skin, and the present invention may provide a range of flexibility suitable for sensitive and normal skin. The fabric transparency indication may be provided by the mannequin 10a, 400 comprising one or more lights for projecting the light through the fitted garment. This provides the customer with confirmation as to whether the garment is see-through when worn and whether appropriate underwear should be worn to reduce permeability. The weight change tolerance index may be provided by manipulating the mannequins 10a, 400 to replicate changes to the body contour according to weight changes by extending the movable piston sensor 22. The weight change may be distributed throughout the body or may be localized in one area, for example, on the abdomen, waistline, buttocks or thighs. The change in body weight may be an increase or decrease in body weight 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 kilograms. Instead of using a model, customers may be scanned during weight fluctuations to provide an accurate measurement and distribution of weight fluctuations.

  The stress test indicator may cause the mannequin 10a, 400 to change posture, for example dynamically and / or between two or more postures, if necessary, e.g. stretch at the position of the muscle that made the bicep or joint May be provided to allow the garment seams to be evaluated for suitability for long-term wear. A photo or video image may be obtained during a stress test with particular attention to the seam and sent to the customer along with a report of a visual assessment of durability.

  The integrity indicator of the garment and / or ornament may be provided by checking on the dressed mannequin the harmony of the fabric or material from which the garment and / or ornament is composed. Advantageously, this allows reporting as to whether there are any holes or damage to the garment and / or decoration.

  FIG. 5 shows a mannequin 10b according to another embodiment of the present invention. Mannequin 10b is similar to mannequin 10a, but is more similar to the human body.

  The mannequin 10b includes a plurality of body panels 24 that are substantially similar to the main muscles of the human body, such as a panel 24 for each biceps, a panel 24 for each pectoral muscle, and the like. Instead of including multiple panels, a single curved panel 24 may be used if desired.

  Behind each panel is a pressure sensor (not shown) for detecting the amount of pressure applied to the panel by the item of clothing.

  Mannequin 10b includes a plurality of sensors 32 disposed on each panel. As mentioned above, any type of sensor 32 is used, namely a heat retention sensor, a fabric softness or texture sensor, a garment permeability sensor, a material stress sensor, a garment stretch sensor and a garment integrity sensor. May be.

  The mannequin 10b further includes a flexible joint between at least two panels so that the posture can be changed. The joint may be mechanically operated.

  FIG. 6 shows the mannequin 10b shown in FIG. 5 but including a shirt 36 with sleeves.

  FIG. 7 illustrates a method 700 that facilitates the creation, repair, and / or purchase of clothing by a user in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

  At step 705, the physical dimensions outside the expected user of the garment and / or decoration are received via the data interface.

  At step 710, clothing and / or ornaments are matched to the mannequin. The mannequin includes a plurality of sensors attached to the outer contour of the body to provide one or more quantitative indications of the performance of clothing and / or ornaments tailored to the mannequin. The mannequin further includes a plurality of adjustable devices operable to adjust their physical dimensions to replicate one or more outer body contours of the user.

  At step 715, the mannequin is adjusted according to the received outer physical dimensions.

  At step 720, a quantitative indication is received from the mannequin via the data interface.

  At step 725, a graphical representation of the quantitative display is provided to the user via the data interface.

  Figures 8a-8c show how the movable piston sensor 22 moves from a contracted position inside the mannequin 10a to a different extended position outside the mannequin 10a, depending on the customer's input shape. Indicate. In particular, a cross section through the body portion of the mannequin 10b is shown. FIG. 8 c shows the same mannequin 10 a with the garment 34 item applied, with opposite pressure applied to the movable piston sensor 22.

  FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the fuselage of yet another mannequin embodiment 10c. Instead of having a cylindrical body part like the mannequin 10a or a hollow body composed of a plurality of panels like the mannequin 10b, the mannequin 10c is a single flat that extends through the longitudinal axis of the body. A plurality of movable piston sensors 42, including a panel 40, extend outside the mannequin 10 c to a degree similar to the position of the manikin 10 b panel or the extended movable piston sensor 22 of the mannequin 10 a. As described above with respect to the mannequin 10a, the movable piston sensor 42 can be extended by any known means as required, for example, it may be telescopic.

  Similar to mannequins 10a and 10b described above, mannequin 10c may also change the outer body contour depending on the mannequin's posture, as outlined above with reference to mannequin 10a.

  Any of the mannequins 10a, 10b, 10c may further include a sensor in addition to the sensors described above to further provide a quantitative indication of clothing fit to the customer's body shape. One or more quantitative indications of fit are the pressure applied by the garment when worn, the indication of pressure due to the combined tightness, airflow, body heat, fabric flexibility, garment permeability, stress test and weight An indication of change tolerance may be included. The quantitative indication is not the quality of the garment or material, the quality of the seam, the thickness of the material, or the suitability of the items of the garment, but rather other properties of the garment, such as analogues that may directly change the quality A scale can further be included.

  One example where the systems and methods described above may prove useful is when a person may have an unusually large neck width and desire to purchase a shirt. The use of mannequins 10a, 10b and / or 10c indicates that the shirt may be subject to uncomfortable pressure around the neck even though it may be suitable for the customer's torso and arm area. . When using a pressure sensor or the like, such information can be retrieved and relayed back to the customer, who may then make an informed decision.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a computer system 1000 upon which the present invention can be implemented.

  Computer system 1000 includes a central processing unit 1002, system memory 1004, and a system bus 1006 that couples various system components including system memory 1004 to central processing unit 1002. The system bus 1006 may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. The structure of the system memory 1004 is well known to those skilled in the art and includes a basic input / output system (BIOS) stored in read only memory (ROM) and one or more program modules such as an operating system, application programs and random Program data stored in an access memory (RAM) may be included.

  Computer system 1000 may also include various interface units and drives for reading and writing data. In particular, computer system 1000 includes a hard disk interface 1008 and a removable memory interface 1010 that couple hard disk drive 1012 and removable memory drive 1014 to system bus 1006, respectively. Examples of removable memory drive 1014 include magnetic disk drives and optical disk drives. The drive and associated computer readable media, such as a digital versatile disc (DVD) 1016, provide non-volatile storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer system 1000. A single hard disk drive 1012 and a single removable memory drive 1014 are shown for illustrative purposes only and with the understanding that the computer system 1000 may include several such drives. ing. In addition, computer system 1000 may include a drive for interfacing with other types of computer readable media.

  Computer system 1000 may include additional interfaces for connecting devices to system bus 1006. FIG. 10 illustrates a universal serial bus (USB) interface 1018 that may be used to couple the device to the system bus 1006. An IEEE 1394 interface 1020 may be used to couple additional devices to the computer system 1000.

  The computer system 1000 uses logical connections to one or more remote computers or other devices such as servers, routers, network personal computers, peer devices or other communication nodes, wireless telephones or wireless personal digital assistants. Can operate in a network environment. Computer 1000 includes a network interface 1022 that couples system bus 1006 to a local area network (LAN) 1024. Networking environments are common in corporate, corporate computer networks, and home computer systems.

  A wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, can also be accessed by the computer system 1000 via, for example, a modem unit connected to the serial port interface 1026 or via the LAN 1024.

  It will be appreciated that the network connections shown and described in the figures are exemplary and other methods of establishing a communications link between the computers can be used. It is assumed that various well-known protocols such as Frame Relay, Ethernet, TCP / IP, FTP, HTTP, etc. exist, and the computer system 1000 allows a user to retrieve a web page from a web-based server. It is possible to operate with a client server configuration. In addition, any of a variety of conventional web browsers can be used to display and manipulate data on web pages.

  The operation of computer system 1000 can be controlled by a variety of different program modules. Examples of program modules are routines, programs, objects, components and data structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The invention may also be practiced with other computer system configurations including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, mainframe computers, personal digital assistants and the like. Furthermore, the present invention may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

  The present invention uses a mannequin that accurately reflects the customer's body and can be adjusted to assist the customer's assessment of the appearance and fit of the clothing before committing the purchase of clothing items. Particularly well suited to facilitate the purchase of clothes in an on-line shopping environment. In this regard, customers may consider a range of clothing offered for sale by online retailers using personal communication devices such as personal computers, personal digital assistants or suitably equipped mobile phones. After providing data representing physical dimensions outside the customer, images of various articles of clothing tailored to the mannequin adjusted to the customer's size may be requested. During this process, the store clerk may provide guidance on the customer's selection of clothing items and may suggest alternative items or possibly alternative sizes that may better suit the customer.

  In one embodiment of the present invention, a customer operates software running on a personal communication device to select a clothing item and request that it be matched to a mannequin and for the clothing item. After reviewing the images, the necessary steps are taken to order clothing items or to refuse the purchase. Instead, the customer may request a replacement for a garment article that better fits their body shape and size.

  As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the mannequin may be manufactured with any one or more of a range of sensors that provide quantitative performance data. The mannequin 10a may be formed by one or more molding techniques including one-step techniques and reusable techniques. One-step technology may be precise, and it may be necessary to assemble parts on the skeleton.

  An example of a one-step technique is 3D rapid prototyping, where a continuous layer of material is added to form an accurate 3D replica of a person. Examples of 3D rapid prototyping include powder sinter additive manufacturing (SLS); stereolithography apparatus (SLA); 3D printing; and / or injection molding.

  The 3D printing may use a plastic material in a hot melt state.

  The plastic material is heated and pushed into the mold under high pressure. The material can be cooled to a solid and discharged from the mold.

  Another example of a one-step technique is vacuum forming. Vacuum forming may comprise creating a thin plastic shell that represents the exact body shape by stretching a hot plastic sheet against the shaped mold.

  Another example of a one-step technique is expandable plastic. The inflatable plastic may comprise converting the 3D body scan data so that the 2D plastic sheet cutter cuts the front and back (or otherwise) panels. These panels are secured together and then all parts are inflated to create a full size replica of the human body.

  Yet another example of a one-step technique is a static building block. Static building blocks utilize a library of limb and torso parts of various shapes and sizes. The 3D body data is analyzed and the parts that are very similar to the scanned data are identified for selection. The operator selects the desired parts and attaches these parts to the skeleton before fitting them into the garment.

  Reusable techniques may require a range of coarse and fine adjustments. Coarse adjustments may achieve a close approximation to people with a wide dynamic range, and fine adjustments may achieve fine variations to accurately replicate the customer's outer body contours.

  These reusable techniques generally have adjustable skeletal structures to achieve limb (arm and leg) and torso lengths, and adjustable shaping techniques that impart a shape around the skeleton.

  An example of a reusable technology is a pneumatic cell and / or a hydraulic cell. Pneumatic and / or hydraulic cells can be inflated or deflated with pneumatic or hydraulic pressure and may be used to provide coarse and fine adjustment of body shape. Fine adjustment is achieved by controlling each cell individually.

  Other examples of reusable technologies are electrical blocks and / or mechanical blocks. The electrical and / or mechanical block may use a combination of electrical and mechanical actuators to form both coarse and fine accommodation shapes. One example of coarse adjustment is a motor and gearbox drive system adapted to the mannequin 10a. In this case, an electrically powered actuator may be controlled to provide the shape size.

  Another example of a reusable technique is the use of cables and / or ropes to form a body shape perimeter (or band). Multiple cables and / or ropes may be stacked vertically to form a standing human body, and the cables / ropes may be connected through eyelets knitted inside the skin. Multiple motors / ropes can be used for a single slice to create irregular shapes suitable to mimic various body contours. The sensor may comprise detecting pressure applied to the rope.

  As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, garments and / or ornaments according to the present invention include footwear such as shoes and boots. Although not shown, like the body, the movable piston sensor 22 may be used to represent a person's foot, allowing the user to understand what the shoe or foot looks like. Similarly, a skilled reader will understand that the user will be shown whether the footwear is comfortable.

  Similarly, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be applied to imperfect mannequins or at least to individual body parts. Thus, various clothing and / or footwear stores may require only a body part. For example, a retail store that sells watches may want to have only a representative arm to show potential buyers how the watch might look in the potential buyer's arms. Similarly, a jeweler may want to have a representative hand. By having a customer database, the merchant may email his customer a catalog illustrating how a single jewel might look on the customer's hand or wrist. The same applies to footwear retailers and retailers that provide gloves and hats.

  The present invention is particularly useful for on-line shopping for manufactured garment articles, but may also be used when a customer needs to be tailored for garments. In this case, the customer has their outside physical dimensions measured and supplies it to a tailor equipped with a mannequin. The tailor may then receive instructions from the customer regarding the required clothing, and the customer may provide the tailor with his outside physical dimensions. The tailor may then use the mannequin adjusted to the customer's physical size to begin making clothes while receiving feedback from the mannequin that the clothes fit comfortably. Of course, the tailor needs access to the mannequin, but in this example, the use of the present invention significantly reduces the need for the customer to repeatedly visit the tailor for costume matching. A specific example where this is considered most useful is the design and production of wedding dresses.

  Another advantage of such an application of the present invention is that the tailor can be far from the customer, but can still begin manufacturing clothes. For example, a tailor can be abroad as opposed to a customer's location, or perhaps a customer based in the countryside or country is related to his outside physical dimensions to a tailor who is in the city Data can be provided. This particular embodiment also applies when a customer needs to refurbish an existing garment item and send the item to a tailor.

  The tailor may be able to correct the garment accurately by using an adjustable mannequin with up-to-date data regarding the physical dimensions outside the customer. The tailor may also make use of the quantitative performance data collected from the sensors while making or modifying the garment for the customer, thus reducing the probability that further adjustments will be required. In particular, when making or repairing garments, the tailor may control the mannequin to adopt several postures and adjust the garments to match the range of movement by the customer.

  The present invention is also useful in in-shop retail stores where customers choose to avoid trying on clothes. This is also beneficial for shopkeepers because it prevents clothes from being soiled. If the garment does not meet the customer's expectations, an adjustable mannequin may be used to determine the rework needed to fit the customer.

  Enables the development of universal sizing systems by collecting physical dimensions outside the customer, regardless of the actual way of viewing and / or purchasing clothing items using adjustable mannequins As such, the customer may be provided with a numerical value or some other indicator that defines his size. Over time, retailers can adopt a universal sizing system so that the customer then responds to the retail garment supplier about their size (via the universal sizing system) It is expected to be possible. In this particular example, the customer may not be able to find the right size at the retail store for him, but at the very least, regardless of where the garment retailer is located, items of clothing that are close to his size. Should be able to find out. Thus, using such a system, a customer in one country can answer someone in another country about their universal size, and someone in another country can accurately determine the customer's size requirements. To understand.

  Throughout this specification, it has been the purpose of describing preferred embodiments of the invention without limiting the invention to any one embodiment or specific collection of features. Thus, in light of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and changes can be made to the specific illustrated embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

All computer programs, algorithms, patents and scientific literature referred to herein are hereby incorporated by reference.

Claims (20)

A mannequin:
A body including an outer contour that is substantially similar to the body of an anticipated user of clothing and / or ornaments;
A plurality of sensors attached to the body to provide one or more quantitative indications of the performance of the garment and / or decorations adapted to the mannequin; and the performance of the garment and / or decorations Or a mannequin including a data transmission interface connected to the sensor operable to transmit the one or more quantitative indications of comfort.   The quantitative indication of the performance or comfort of the garment and / or decoration fitted to the mannequin is pressure, airflow, body heat, fabric softness, garment permeability, material stress, fabric stretch The mannequin of claim 1, comprising one or more of an indication of the degree to which it is to be worn and the integrity of clothing and / or ornaments.   The outer body contour is defined over at least a portion of the body by a plurality of adjustable devices operable to cause the mannequin to replicate one or more outer body contours of the user. Item 3. A mannequin according to item 1 or 2. A data receiving interface for receiving the user's measurements associated with the one or more outer body contours of the user;
A processor for converting the received measurement values into a signal receivable by the plurality of adjustable devices, wherein upon receiving the signal, the plurality of adjustable devices are one of the users; Actuated and / or controlled to adopt a position that causes the mannequin to replicate one or more outer body contours,
The mannequin according to claim 3.   The plurality of adjustable devices includes a movable piston, and the plurality of sensors are adapted to calibrate the one or more outer body contours of the user by means of the garment and / or ornaments adapted to the mannequin. 5. A mannequin according to claim 3 or 4 that measures the force applied to the one or more of the movable pistons to be replicated.   The one or more movable pistons are hydraulically, pneumatically or electromagnetically actuated, or driven by a motor or spring, and the force applied to the movable piston by the article of clothing or ornaments The mannequin of claim 5, measured by one or more pressure sensors. A system for making, repairing and / or purchasing clothing for or by a customer:
A mannequin:
A body including an outer contour that is substantially similar to the body of an anticipated user of clothing and / or ornaments;
A plurality of sensors attached to the body to provide one or more quantitative indications of the performance of the garment and / or decorations adapted to the mannequin; and the performance of the garment and / or decorations A mannequin including a data interface connected to the sensor operable to transmit the one or more quantitative indications of the; and the quantification of the performance of the garment and / or the ornament matched to the mannequin A system that includes a presentation module for generating a graphical representation of a static display. A receiving interface for receiving the user's measurements associated with the one or more outer body contours of the user;
A processor for converting the received measurement values into a signal receivable by the plurality of adjustable devices, wherein upon receiving the signal, the plurality of adjustable devices are one of the users; Adopting a position that causes the mannequin to replicate one or more outer body contours;
The system according to claim 7.   9. A system according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising a data transmission interface for transmitting the graphical representation of the quantitative display.   The system according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the graphical representation of the quantitative display comprises a coded overlay on a graphic image.   10. The system according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the graphic image includes one of photographic images of the garment aligned with the mannequin.   11. A system according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the graphical representation includes areas of different transparency, areas of different color shades and / or areas of different brightness.   13. The graphical representation includes regions of different transparency and regions of different chromatic shading, wherein the chromatic shading indicates a type of quantitative display and the transparency indicates the size of the quantitative display. The system described in. A method for facilitating the production, modification and / or purchase of clothing by a customer comprising:
To provide an adjustable mannequin:
A body including an outer contour that is substantially similar to the body of an anticipated user of clothing and / or ornaments;
A plurality of sensors attached to the outer contour of the body to provide one or more quantitative indications of the performance of the garment and / or ornaments tailored to the mannequin; and the garment and / or Providing an adjustable mannequin including a data transmission interface coupled to the sensor operable to transmit the one or more quantitative indications of ornamental performance;
Combining the mannequin with the garment and / or decoration;
Receiving the quantitative indication from the mannequin via a data interface; and providing a graphical representation of the quantitative indication to the user via a data interface. Receiving physical dimensions outside the anticipated user of clothing and / or ornaments via a data interface;
Adjusting the mannequin according to the received outer physical dimensions;
The mannequin includes a plurality of adjustable devices operable to adjust its physical dimensions to replicate one or more outer body contours of the user;
The method according to claim 14.   16. The physical dimension of the expected user includes one or more of the expected user's height and a length or width of the expected user's body part. The method described. Generating the suitability display of clothing and / or decorations on a processor and from the quantitative display of performance; and providing the display to the user via a data interface The method according to claim 14. Receiving one or more preferences of the expected user of clothing and / or ornaments via a data interface; and the graphical representation and / or the quantitative display according to the one or more preferences The method of claim 14, further comprising adjusting.   The garment includes one or more of shirts, blouses, dresses, skirts, vests, jumpers, jackets, trousers, suits, shoes, hats or gloves, and the ornaments include watches, scarves, bracelets, anklets 15. The method of claim 14, comprising any one or more of: a necklace, a fascinator or a girdle. Adjusting the mannequin to a new position;
Receiving from the mannequin another quantitative indication of the suitability of clothing and / or decorations via the data interface; and the other quantitative corresponding to the new position of the mannequin via the data interface The method of claim 14, further comprising: providing a graphical representation of a display to the user.