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(11) | EP 0 599 484 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Improvements in bodyforms |
| (57) A bodyform comprises four upper body sections (20) defining a bust or upper torso
and four lower body sections (22) defining a hip region. Adjustment means enable the
body sections to be expanded or contracted to vary girth, and to be moved towards
or away from one another to vary the vertical dimension of the waist. Four waist body
sections (38) span the vertical distance between the lower body section (22) and the
upper body sections (20), each waist body section having a curved vertical wall (40)
which is externally convex and shaped so as to provide a transition between the upper
and lower body sections. The four waist body sections are respectively attached to,
and project upwardly from, the lower body section (22) and provide a waist "wall",
in four segments, at all adjusted positions of the upper and lower body sections. |
[0002] Known bodyforms, for example disclosed in GB Patent Specification 2064195A and US Patents 3734362 and 3838800, comprise body sections which are relatively adjustable (by horizontal relative movement) to vary the circumferential size around the bust, waist and hip regions. It is also known in such bodyforms to provide for relative vertical adjustment between the bust region and the hip region to provide, in effect, different lengths of waist. However, in such bodyforms the waist region is generally defined by a gap (variable in height depending on the waist length adjustment) between the body sections defining the bust or upper torso and the body sections defining the hips. The invention aims to provide a bodyform which does not suffer from the disadvantage of a gap in the waist region.
[0003] According to the invention a bodyform comprises first body sections defining a bust or upper torso and second body sections defining a hip, adjustment means for effecting relative movement in a substantially vertical direction between the first and second body sections in order to vary the effective length of waist, and a plurality of waist body sections, each of which has a curved wall which spans the first body sections and the second body sections throughout the range of movement of the adjustment means. The curved wall is preferably substantially vertical.
[0004] The waist sections are preferably attached to, and project upwardly from, the second body sections; however, the alternative arrangement is possible and in this case the waist sections are attached to, and project downwardly from, the first body sections.
[0005] In a preferred arrangement the second body sections are movable together in a vertical direction with respect to the first body sections, on adjustment of the adjustment means. In this case, each curved vertical wall extends upwardly and within the first body sections, preferably being guided for relative sliding movement with respect to the first body sections when the adjustment means are operated. To assist such guiding movement, channel-shaped guides are preferably attached to the inner surfaces of the first body sections, the edges of the waist sections being received within (and guided for slidable movement by) the guides.
[0006] In a preferred bodyform, the second bodyforms are four in number and each second body section supports a corresponding one of four waist sections, the first body sections also conveniently being four in number and each waist section being guided for sliding movement within a corresponding one of the four first body sections.
[0007] Each waist section then conveniently includes, at the lower end of the curved vertical wall, an attachment flange by which the waist section is attached to the corresponding second body section.
[0008] The four waist sections preferably comprise two pairs, namely a rear pair of waist sections which are respectively attached to a rear pair of the second body sections, and a front pair of waist sections which are respectively attached to a front pair of the second body sections.
[0009] A bodyform according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bodyform,
Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the bodyform,
Figure 3 is a fragmentary internal view of the bodyform, with parts cut away, and
Figure 4 is a sectional view on the horizontal plane indicated by the arrows IV-IV in Figure 1.
[0010] Referring to Figure 1, a bodyform comprises a central vertical column 10 which is adjustable in height at 12 and the lower end of which is supported by a hub 14 from which project four ground-engaging feet 16. The upper end of the column 10 supports a neck region of the bodyform where there is a rotary dial 18 for adjustment of the neck region.
[0011] The bodyform comprises four shell-like first body sections 20 which define the shoulders, bust and upper torso of the bodyform. Below this, there are four second shell-like body sections 22 defining the hip region. Each of the first and second body sections is of thin plastics material and is covered externally by fabric.
[0012] The four first body sections 20 can be adjusted in position by four adjustment dials 24 two of which are shown in Figure 1. Adjustment of each dial 24 alters the spacing between the corresponding pair of body sections 20, so as to adjust the effective bust size of the bodyform. Similarly, the effective waist size can be adjusted by four adjustment dials 26 (two visible in Figure 1) which alter the spacing of the upper parts of the second body sections 22. The effective size of the hip region of the bodyform is adjustable by four further dials 28 two of which are shown in Figure 1. The neck adjustment dial 18 and the four adjustment dials at each of the bust lower waist and hip regions are known.
[0013] Each adjustment dial enables the corresponding pair of body sections to be moved towards or away from one another and to be retained, by a spring ratchet arrangement, in an adjusted position. The first body sections 20 are mounted on the upper end of the column 10 and are essentially fixed in the vertical direction. The second body sections 22 are vertically adjustable with respect to the first body sections 20 in order to vary the effective length (in a vertical direction) of the waist region.
[0014] The vertical adjustment of the second body sections 22 with respect to the first body sections 20 is best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. Each of the four second body sections 22 is linked by a corresponding metal loop 30 to the flange of a plastics sleeve 32 which is slidable on the column 10 in a vertical direction. A plastics collar 34 is secured to the column 10 and has downwardly inclined teeth engageable with cooperating upwardly inclined teeth formed on the sleeve 32. The sleeve 32 is urged generally upwardly by means of two helical tension springs 36 which interconnect the flange of the sleeve 32 and anchorage points on the column 10. Hence, the sleeve 32 can be grasped, turned to disengage the teeth, moved to a new vertical position on the column 10 and then released, whereupon the springs 36 urge the teeth into engagement at the adjusted position. This adjustment effectively alters the relative position of the second body sections 32 with respect to the first body sections 20, and consequently alters the waist dimension in a vertical direction.
[0015] According to the invention, four waist body sections 38 span the vertical distance between the second body sections 22 and the first body sections 20. Each waist body section comprises a curved vertical wall 40 which is externally convex and shaped so as to provide a transition between the upper body sections 20 and the lower body sections 22. Each waist body section 38 is of thin plastics and externally covered by fabric matching the fabric on the first and second body sections The lower edge of each wall 40 adjoins an attachment flange 42 by which the waist section is attached (by nuts and bolts) to a similarly shaped flange 44 on the upper end of the corresponding body section 22.
[0016] Hence, the four waist sections 38 are respectively attached to, and project upwardly from, the four lower body sections 22, and each waist section 38 projects upwardly within the curved wall of the corresponding upper body section 20. The curved wall 40 of each waist section lies snugly against the curved inner surface of the corresponding upper body section 20. When the waist dimension is altered by adjustment of the adjustment means (the sleeve 32 and collar 34), the curved wall 40 of each waist section 38 slides against the curved inner surface of the corresponding upper body section 20. Channel shaped guides 46 attached to the inner surface of each upper body section 20 guide this sliding movement and act to hold the curved wall of each waist section 38 against the corresponding upper body section 20.
[0017] It can be seen from Figure 4 that the pair of waist sections 38 at the front of the bodyform (which are the pair on the right-hand side of Figure 4) are mirror-images one of another but are differently shaped from the pair of waist sections 38 at the rear of the body form, which are also mirror images one of another.
1. A bodyform comprising first body sections defining a bust or upper torso and second
body sections defining a hip, adjustment means for effecting relative movement in
a substantially vertical direction between the first and second body sections in order
to vary the effective length of waist, and a plurality of waist body sections, each
of which has a curved wall which spans the first body sections and the second body
sections throughout the range of movement of the adjustment means.
2. A bodyform according to claim 1, wherein the curved wall is substantially vertical.
3. A bodyform according to claim 2, wherein the waist sections are attached to, and project
upwardly from, the second body sections.
4. A bodyform according to claim 3, wherein the second body sections are movable together
in a vertical direction with respect to the first body sections, on adjustment of
the adjustment means.
5. A bodyform according to claim 4, whrein each curved vertical wall extends upwardly
and within the first body sections.
6. A bodyform according to claim 5, wherein channel-shaped guides are attached to the
inner surfaces of the first body sections to assist said guiding movement, the edges
of the waist sections being received within, and guided for slidable movement by,
the guides.
7. A bodyform according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second body sections
are four in number and each second body section supports a corresponding one of four
waist sections.
8. A bodyform according to claim 7, wherein the first body sections are four in number
and each waist section is guided for sliding movement within a corresponding one of
the four first body sections.
9. A bodyform according to claim 8, as appendant to claim 3, wherein each waist section
includes, at the lower end of the curved vertical wall, an attachment flange by which
the waist section is attached to the corresponding second body section.
10. A bodyform according to claim 9, wherein the four waist sections comprise two pairs,
namely a rear pair of waist sections which are respectively attached to a rear pair
of the second body sections, and a front pair of waist sections which are respectively
attached to a front pair of the second body sections.