Abstract:
A dress or clothing form includes a sheet metal back to which are attached a plurality of reinforcing strips. A support rod is carried on one of the reinforcing strips and on the back. Leg supports are attached to the back to which are attached a pair of flat leg panels. Front and back molded plastic body panels are secured by fasteners to the metal back and similar molded front and back leg panels are secured to the flat leg panels. The support rod includes a large diameter portion at its top which includes a tapered surface. This surface mates with a socket on a support arm attached to a stand for supporting the form at the desired height. The stand includes telescoping members each including a rack with one member including a gas spring connected to a pinion positioned between the racks. The gas spring is arranged to essentially balance the weight of the dress form and garment so that a worker can move it up and down with little effort. A pedestal supports the stand and includes a latch means for preventing telescoping of the stand while it is being moved.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a non-provisional patent application based upon provisional application Serial No. 60/083,494, filed Apr. 29, 1999 the benefit of which is claimed. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This application relates to dress or clothing forms and a stand for supporting such forms. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     As the fashion industry becomes increasingly multinational, differences in what were thought to be somewhat standardized sizes and proportions of women&#39;s dresses have become both more apparent and more troublesome. Thus, a size 8 in New York may not have a corresponding counterpart in garments shipped from Europe or Asia. There is, therefore, a need for a way to produce a standardized size such that when a buyer in New York, for example, wishes to order garments of a particular size from Asia, there will be a way to be certain that the size is consistent with what is desired. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Applicants have provided a dress form and a method of producing dress forms in any quantity desired and which are very uniform in size and configuration. Such forms can then be shipped anywhere in the world to provide reasonable assurance that a plurality of size 8 dresses of a certain style ordered from Taiwan will be the same size and configuration as those initially designed in New York. 
     The process begins with a large number of measurements from human models. There are usually measurements from more than one size 8 model, for example, and these measurements are then averaged out to provide a standardized set of measurements. These measurements are then put in digital from and entered into a computer (UNIX WORKSTATION) to create a substantial number of three-dimensional cross sections. These cross sections are then used to create a computerized three dimensional NURB surface (non-uniform rational B spline) which is a close approximation of what is desired and the surface of which can be manipulated to specifications provided by the client. This surface configuration is then put in form for computer aided design (CAD)—parametric solid modeling. The CAD data is then converted to computer aided machining data which is supplied to a numerically controlled machine to produce tooling for producing vacuum formed body panels. The body panels are then trimmed with padding and muslin and mounted on a dress form chassis. Limited changes in dimensions are taken up with padding of the body panels. 
     Applicants have also provided a novel dress form chassis and stand which are convenient for working with the dress form and changing its position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S) 
     This invention may be more clearly understood with the following detailed description and by reference to the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dress form and stand according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a dress form chassis according to the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the dress form chassis of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the dress form and chassis of FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 ; 
     FIG. 4A is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale of the telescoping shoulder members of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the dress form stand used in combination with the dress form chassis of FIGS. 2,  3  and  4 ; 
     FIG. 5A is a further exploded view of the parts of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the attachment fixture for attaching the dress form chassis to the stand; 
     FIG. 7 is a top view of the fixture of FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 8 is a top view of the socket end of the support arm used in the stand of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the structure of the safety interlock device of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the dress form mounted on the stand with operator&#39;s hands and foot shown in phantom; 
     FIG. 11 is an exploded view of an alternate embodiment of the dress form chassis. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the dress form chassis  10  and stand  11  according to the invention. The dress form itself is formed of a plurality of plastic panels whose dimensions and contours are determined by parametric solid modeling as described above. The plastic panels are then covered with padding and muslin. Supporting the panels is a chassis, described below, which includes a rod  14  which terminates in a larger diameter knob having a tapered surface  15  joining the main shaft with the larger diameter portion. Stand  11  includes a main support rod  70  carrying a laterally extending arm  84  which includes a socket which receives the tapered surface  15  of rod  14 . The stand  11  is mounted on a pedestal  86  to which are attached a plurality of casters  88 . A foot pedal  90  carried on pedestal  86  provides a means for adjusting the position of the dress form chassis  10  as discussed below. 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the dress form chassis with the dress form itself shown in phantom and FIG. 3 is a side elevational view thereof. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the dress form chassis includes a heavy sheet metal back  12  to which is attached a vertical stiffening support  13  and a rod  14  which extends from the top of the dress form as assembled. Rod  14  includes an expanded portion at the top including a tapered surface  15  which cooperates with the associated stand to secure the dress form to the stand as discussed below. Also attached to back  12  are support members  16 ,  18  and  20  which may be simple angle members. Members  16  and  18  are attached to cylindrical members  22  and  24 . Member  20  supports the lower end of rod  14  which is secured at its upper end by a flange  21  which is part of back  12 . Shown attached to member  24  is a circular leg top member  26 . A similar circular top member  27  is attached to member  22 . Members  26  and  27  have openings to receive vertical rods  32  (FIG. 3) which attach to flat leg forms  34  and  36  extending for essentially the length of the dress form leg. The support structure for both flat leg forms  34  and  36  are identical. 
     Secured near the top of back  12  are a pair of horizontal telescoping shoulder members  38 ,  40  which include a latch (not shown) permitting shoulder members  38 ,  40  to expand or contract laterally to aid in putting on and removing garments. A pair of shoulder support pads  42 ,  44  are attached at the ends of shoulder members  38 ,  40 , respectively. An additional spring loaded telescoping tube  41  cooperates with member  38 ,  40  to permit pads  42 ,  44  which are hinged to the dress form chassis  10  by means of hinges  39 , to move in or out to fit or remove garments. This structure is discussed in detail below. Attached to the dress form chassis  10  are several of the vacuum formed body panels referred to above. These may be secured by staples or any convenient means to any of several attachment tabs  49 . 
     FIG. 3 is a left side view of the chassis  10  showing the relationships of the parts described above. Rod  14  passes through support  20  and is carried thereby. The upper part of rod  14  is supported in a flange  21  which is part of back  12 . 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the dress form and chassis described above. In this view it will be apparent that support  13  has substantial thickness perpendicular to the plane of back  12  for stiffening. Support members  16 ,  18  and  20  are shown with member  20  in position to support the lower end of rod  14 . Attached to members  16  and  18  are cylindrical members  22  and  24 . Circular top leg member  26  is shown along with other circular leg top member  26  and member  28  through which vertical rod  32  passes which supports flat leg form  34 . 
     Also shown are the telescoping shoulder members  38 ,  40  which are attached by links  38 A and  40 A to shoulder support pads  42  and  44 . A cylindrical telescoping tube  41  including telescoping tubes and an internal spring  41 A urge shoulder support pads  42  and  44  outwardly when the latch on members  38  and  40  is released. Shoulder support pads  42 ,  44  are manually pushed inwardly against internal spring  41 A to aid in removing garments from the dress form chassis  10 . Small dowels  41 B extend from shoulder support pads  42  and  44  and fit loosely into the ends of cylindrical telescoping tube  41  to assure alignment of tube  41  when shoulder support pads  42 ,  44  are moved in and out since they are hinged at their attachment points on the molded body parts and move in an arcuate manner. 
     The dress form itself is composed of a plurality of vacuum formed body panels whose dimensions and contours are established as described above. These may be secured by staples or any convenient means to any of several attachment tabs  49 . Shown are a rear body torso panel  50 , a rear right leg panel  52 , a rear left leg panel  54 , a front right leg panel  56 , a front left leg panel  58  and a front torso panel  60 . 
     FIG. 4A is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the telescoping shoulder members  38  and  40  and tube  41  in association with a shoulder support pad  42 . Members  38  and  40  incorporate a latch mechanism which holds ends which releases the latch. Members  38  and  40  will then extend outwardly under the force of them in a particular position until one pushes on the spring  41 A in cylindrical telescoping tube  41  until the latch catches in another position. This causes shoulder support pad  42  (as well as shoulder support pad  44 ) to swing outwardly on its hinge  39 . Member  38  is pivotally attached to block  55  by means of a link  38 A which is secured to shoulder support pad  42 . Cylindrical telescoping tube  41  receives a dowel  41 B which is secured to block  55 . Since shoulder support pads  42  and  44  are hinged, there must be some “play” in the connections with members  38  and  40  and tube  41  to permit the shoulder support pads  42 ,  44  to have the desired arcuate movement. The connections with shoulder support pad  44  are the same. 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded view, partly broken away, of the stand  11  used to support the dress form. This stand has a number of useful features, one of the most important of which is that it enables one seated adjacent to the form to move the dress form and garments up and down over a very useful range of about 24 inches without having to exert more than a very minimum force. It also includes a means for locking the moving parts in position when the dress form is not in use or for moving the stand and dress form. A further feature is that a device responsive to tipping of the stand automatically locks the moving parts in position. 
     Located within a gas strut housing  68  are a rod  70  and a gas spring or strut  72 . Rod  70  carries a rack  74  and a similar rack  76  is secured to an inside wall of gas strut housing  68 . Positioned between racks  74  and  76  is a pinion  78  which is secured to the top of the gas spring housing. A glide  80  is positioned in the top of housing  68  and serves as a guide for rod  70 . Attached to the top of rod  70  is a sleeve  82  carrying arm  84  which supports the dress form and chassis. 
     The gas spring or strut  72  is a commercially available device including an exterior housing containing a piston and a rod  73  attached to the piston. Energy is contained in the housing in the form of gas under pressure. As stated above, the gas strut housing  68  is fastened to pinion  78 . The rod  73  is secured to the housing and is normally locked in a collapsed or contained position within the housing by means of an internal latch until released. 
     The housing  68  is asymmetrically mounted on a pedestal  86  to which are attached a plurality (normally four) of casters  88 . One caster  88 A includes a brake as is well known in the art. Also attached to pedestal  86  is a pedal  90  attached to an elongated brake lever  92  which extends under the surface of the pedestal where it makes contact with a button on the end of the rod  73  of gas spring or strut  72  to release its lock or latch. Once this latch is released, the energy in the gas spring effectively counterbalances the weight of the dress form and chassis suspended from the stand and the dress form and chassis may be easily moved up and down. As will be understood, the arrangement with racks  74  and  76  and pinion  78  provides a 2 to 1 mechanical advantage whereby rod  70 , sleeve  82 , arm  84  and dress form and chassis  10  move up or down twice as far as gas spring or strut  72  and pinion  78  are moved. 
     FIG. 5A is an exploded view of the movable parts of FIG. 5 with the housing  68  much shortened to show the relationships of the inside parts. Rod  70  and rack  74  are fastened to sleeve  82  and arm  84  from which the dress form and chassis are suspended. Rack  76  is secured to housing  68  and pinion  78  is fastened to the housing of the gas spring or strut  72 . The rod  73  of gas spring or strut  72  is secured at the lower end of housing  68  so that as gas spring or strut  72  expands, moving its housing and pinion  78  up rack  76 , rack  74  is moved upwardly twice as far as pinion  78 , also carrying rod  70  twice as far as gas spring or strut  72  moved. 
     Also secured in the lower end of housing  68  such that it is interposed between the end of lever  92  and the gas spring rod  73  is a safety interlock device  94  (FIG.  5 ). This device includes an inverted conical surface with a ball bearing normally seated at its apex. When pedal  90  is touched, the lever  92  moves device  94  slightly upwardly causing the ball to contact rod  73  and releasing the latch on gas spring or strut  72 . Should the stand tend to tip over as might happen during moving it, the ball in device  94  will roll up the side of the inverted cone, in which position the gas spring or strut  72  is locked and no movement or accidental contact with pedal  90  will contact rod  73  to release the latch in gas spring or strut  72 . This is shown in greater detail in connection with FIG.  9 . 
     Because of the need to remove the dress form and chassis from the stand with some frequency, it is desirable that the connection between the attachment end of arm  84  and the tapered surface  15  of rod  14  be firm to avoid unnecessary movement while the dress form is being worked on, but also capable of convenient and easy release. FIGS. 6 and 7 are, respectively, a side elevational view looking at the tapered surface  15  of rod  14  and a top view of the enlarged part of rod  14 . FIG. 8 is an enlarged top view of the end of arm  84  which receives tapered surface  15 . It will be observed that the top inside edge  84 A has a significantly larger diameter than the bottom edge  84 B showing the taper that matches that of tapered surface  15 . These parts are held together securely by the weight of the dress form and chassis. The detent  15 A receives a ball (not shown) which further latches tapered surface  15  and arm  84  together. 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing the structure of the safety interlock device  94  and its relationship with the brake lever  92  and the rod  73  of gas spring or strut  72 . The interlock device includes a housing  100  which contains a flat conical dish  102  and a ball such as a ball bearing  104  which normally remains at the bottom of dish  102 . When brake lever  92  is moved upwardly, it causes a pin  106  to be translated upwardly against the force of a spring  108  dislodging ball bearing  104  and moving it upwardly against the rod  73 , thus tripping the latch in gas spring or strut  72 . When the lever  92  is not actuated, pin  106  remains in its downward position under the urging of spring  108 . This keeps gas spring or strut  72  and rod  73  latched in position. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the dress form chassis  10  and stand  11  similar to FIG. 1 but including phantom drawings showing hands  110  positioned to move the dress form chassis  10  up or down or around as would normally be done in the course of working on a garment. Similarly, a foot  112  is shown in position to depress pedal  90 . 
     FIG. 11 is an exploded view of an alternate embodiment of the dress form chassis. Since only a portion of the chassis is different from that shown on FIGS. 2,  3  and  4 , common elements are given the same numerals and only parts not common to the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 have different numerals. The principal difference is in the shoulder structure including the telescoping shoulder members  38  and  40 . These members incorporate the ratchet or latch discussed above relative to FIG.  4 . They also incorporate an internal spring (not shown) which urges shoulder members  38  and  40  apart. At the ends of shoulder members  38  and  40  are shoulder cap members  62  and  64  which are secured to front torso panel  60  by means of hinges  39  as described above relative to FIG. 4. A pair of shoulder support members  51  and  53  are pivotally secured to the back  12  by pins  46  and  48  and to shoulder members  38  and  40  respectively. 
     The foregoing embodiments are merely representative of the various ways of carrying out this invention. It is recognized that one of skill in the art might produce other embodiments without departing from the spirit and substance of this invention as set forth above. Therefore, the true scope of this invention is to be judged only by the scope of allowed claims in any resulting patent application including the added protection afforded to the inventors under the Doctrine of Equivalents.