RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a NON-PROVISIONAL application of U.S.

Provisional Patent Application Number 62/353,392 filed on June 22, 2016 entitled "SUPPORT BUSTIER GARMENT"; a NON-PROVISIONAL application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Number 62/385,075 filed on September 8, 2016 entitled "BRASSIERE SUPPORT STRUCTURE WITH CURVED OPENING"; a NON-PROVISIONAL US Provisional Patent Application Number 62/460,036 filed February 16, 2017 entitled "GARMENT FRAME AND CASING"; a NON-PROVISIONAL application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Number 62/506,516 filed on May 15, 2017 entitled "GARMENT CLOSURE MECHANISM"; a NON-PROVISIONAL application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Number 62/507,183 filed on May 16, 2017 entitled "SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING A BRA SIZE FOR A WEARER"; a NON-PROVISIONAL application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Number 62/510,527 filed on May 24, 2017 entitled "BRA COMPONENTS, CASEMENT, AND HOUSING"; and a NON- PROVISIONAL application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Number 62/510,720 filed on May 24, 2017 entitled "BRA COMPONENTS, CASEMENT, AND HOUSING", all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their respective entireties.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of apparel and, more specifically to a garment frame, support structure, casing, and housing. The garment may be a bra, or a similar garment, configured to reposition a portion of a volume of a wearer's breast or breasts and support a portion of a weight of the wearer's respective breast when worn by the wearer by, for example, redirecting the weight to the wearer's torso by, for example, providing a cantilever projection upon which the breast weight may be positioned. BACKGROUND

[0003] Brassieres have been used for lifting and shaping the breasts for approximately 100 years. Brassieres (and other related garments, such as underwire swimwear tops) are typically manufactured using two U-shaped metal components or "under wires," which serve to create a rounded housing for each breast. The underwire also serves to create a uniform shape in accordance with a fashionable silhouette. The underwire is conventionally a flat U-shape, and does not conform to the curved dimensions of the wearer's rib cage. Thus, the underwire brassiere in its traditional form frequently creates areas of poking and rubbing at the ends of the wire (between breasts and in underarm areas), as well as pinching at the lowermost point of the underwire (at the bottom of the breast, directly under the nipple) where the underwire pushes into the ribs. The larger the breasts, the more significant these pressure points tend to be. Seams and fabric casements, which serve to hold the underwire in place, can further exacerbate the pinching and rubbing of the wire against the skin and ribs.

SUMMARY

[0004] The present invention is directed to, among other things, a garment such as a bra, sports bra, compression bra, bralette, corset, bustier, camisole, swimsuit, sports top, shirt, and dress and components thereof. The garment may include a frame, support structure, casing and/or housing.

[0005] Exemplary support structures include a frame and a volumetric cup portion. The frame may be shaped to approximate a circumferential curvature of a wearer's torso in a horizontal plane proximate to an inframammary fold of the wearer. In some instances, a portion of the frame may be adapted for positioning under a wearer's breast proximate to the wearer's inframammary fold. In some embodiments, the frame may include a wrap-around portion and an outer edge of the wrap-around portion may be adapted to correspond to a position on a wearer near a vertical midline separating an anterior portion (i.e., front) of the wearer from a posterior portion (i.e., back) of the wearer. Additionally, or alternatively, an outer edge of the wrap-around portion may be adapted to correspond to a posterior of a wearer when the frame is worn.

[0006] The volumetric cup portion may extend from an upper edge of the frame as a cantilever projection. The volumetric cup portion may have a sphere-like and/or parabolic-like shape and may be adapted to accept insertion of a portion of a wearer's breast therein. In some embodiments, a width of the volumetric cup portion is larger on a first side of the volumetric cup portion than on a second side of the volumetric cup portion.

[0007] In some embodiments, a portion of an upper edge of the frame may be shaped to approximate a shape of a wearer's inframammary fold. Additionally, or alternatively, a border between the volumetric cup portion and the frame may be shaped to approximate a shape of a wearer's inframammary fold. Additionally, or alternatively, the frame may include an under-bust portion and, in some instances, an upper edge of the under-bust portion may be curved in a manner approximating a curvature of a wearer's inframammary fold.

[0008] In some embodiments, a thickness of the volumetric cup portion is greater at a border between the volumetric cup portion and the frame than at an upper edge of the volumetric cup portion. Additionally, or alternatively, a thickness of the volumetric cup portion is greater on a first side than on a second side.

[0009] In some circumstances, an upper edge of the volumetric cup portion may be irregularly shaped. Additionally, or alternatively, an upper edge of the volumetric cup portion may include a first curved upper edge and a second curved upper edge.

[00010] In some embodiments, the frame includes an intermammary-cleft portion adapted to be proximate to an intermammary cleft of a wearer when worn by the wearer, an under-bust portion, and a wrap-around portion. The under-bust portion may include a first side that extends from the intermammary-cleft portion. The under-bust portion may be adapted to be proximate to an under-bust region of the wearer when it, or a garment including the support structure, is worn by the wearer. The wrap-around portion extending from a second side of the under-bust portion and may be adapted to be proximate to a lateral side of the wearer's torso when worn by the wearer. In some embodiments, an outer edge of the wrap-around portion may be adapted to be proximate to a side vertical midline of the wearer when worn by the wearer, the side vertical midline extending through a center of the wearer's torso as viewed from the side and bisecting an anterior and a posterior of the wearer.

[0001 1] In some instances, the support structure is adapted for inclusion in a casing. On occasions, the casing may be adapted for inclusion in a housing. In many embodiments, a shape of the support structure is self-supporting.

[00012] Systems disclosed herein may include a support structure as discussed above and below and a casing. The may also include a housing adapted to house the casing and/or a closure mechanism positioned between a first casing and a second casing. The closure mechanism may facilitate the opening and closing of a garment including the system to facilitate wearing and removal of the garment.

[00013] The frame may be adapted to fit underneath a wearer's breasts and partially wrap around her torso. In most cases, the frame does not include a volumetric, or breast, cup. The support structure be coupled to the frame and may include a volumetric, or breast, cup positioned thereon. The volumetric cup may be a cantilever projection from the frame adapted so that a portion of a wearer's breasts may be inserted therein. In most cases, the volumetric cup will not completely cover the wearer's breast. The frame and/or support structure may be encased or enclosed in a casing. Casing may server to increase the size of volumetric cup to cover a larger portion of the wearer's breast. Casing may also provide padding or other mechanisms to increase the comfort of wearing the frame and/or casing for the wearer. The casings (one for each side of the wearer) may be housed in a housing that wraps around the wearer's torso thereby enabling the wearer to wear the garment.

[00014] The frame may include an under-bust band shaped so as to approximate a curvature in a horizontal plane of a wearer's torso proximate to an inframammary fold of the wearer. In some embodiments, a portion of the under bust band is adapted for positioning under a wearer's breast proximate to the wearer's inframammary fold. The shape of the under-bust band may be self-supporting.

[00015] In some embodiments, the under bust band may include an intermammary-cleft portion, an under-bust portion, and a wrap-around portion. The intermammary-cleft portion may be adapted to be proximate to an intermammary cleft of a wearer when worn by the wearer. A first side of the under-bust portion may be connected to the intermammary-cleft portion and adapted to be proximate to an under-bust region of the wearer when worn by the wearer. The wrap-around portion may be connected to a second side of the under-bust portion and adapted to be proximate to a lateral side of the wearer's torso. On some occasions, the wrap-around portion may have an outer edge adapted to be proximate to a side vertical midline of the wearer when worn by the wearer, the side vertical midline extending through a center of the wearer's torso as viewed from the side and bisecting an anterior and a posterior of the wearer.

[00016] In some embodiments, the under-bust band may include a wraparound portion, the wrap-around portion may be adapted to correspond to a position on a wearer at or near a vertical midline separating an anterior portion of the wearer from a posterior portion of the wearer.

[00017] In another embodiment, the under-bust band may include a wraparound portion, the wrap-around portion may be adapted to correspond to a position on a wearer beyond a vertical midline separating an anterior portion of the wearer from a posterior portion of the wearer.

[00018] In further embodiment, the under-bust band may include a wraparound portion, the wrap-around portion may be curved so as to approximate a curvature of a wearer's torso along a horizontal plane extending approximately from a sagittal plane center midline of a wearer to a frontal plane reference line of the wearer.

[00019] In yet another embodiment, the under-bust band may include a wrap- around portion, the wrap-around portion may be curved so as to approximate a curvature of a wearer's torso along a horizontal plane extending approximately from a sagittal plane center midline of the wearer through a frontal plane reference line of the wearer and around a posterior portion of the wearer when the frame is worn.

[00020] In some instances, the under-bust band may include an under-bust portion, an upper edge of the under-bust portion may be curved so as to accept a portion of a wearer's breast inserted therein when worn by the wearer.

[00021] In one embodiment, the under-bust band may include an under-bust portion, an upper edge of the under-bust portion may be curved so as to approximate a curvature of a wearer's inframammary fold.

[00022] In some instances, the frame may be adapted for inclusion in a casing and/or housing. At times, the frame may be adapted for inclusion in a casing and the casing is adapted for inclusion in a housing.

[00023] In yet another embodiment, the under-bust band may include an under-bust portion adapted to be proximate to an under-bust region of a wearer when worn by the wearer and a cantilever projection, the cantilever projection extending outward from a portion of an upper edge of the under- bust portion. The cantilever projection may be part of a volumetric cup included within a support structure. A width of the cantilever projection is larger on a first side of the cantilever projection than a width of the cantilever projection on a second side of the cantilever projection.

[00024] In a still further embodiment, the under-bust band may include a cantilever projection that extends outward from a portion of an upper edge of the band. In some instances, an upper edge of the band and may be curved so as to approximate a wearer's inframammary fold. At times, the cantilever projection may be shaped, sized, and positioned so as to accept a portion of a wearer's breast when worn.

[00025] The present invention may also include a system comprising a frame and a casing. The frame may include an under-bust band shaped so as to approximate a curvature of a wearer's torso proximate to an inframammary fold of the wearer and adapted for positioning under a wearer's breast at the inframammary fold and the casing may encase the frame. At times, the casing may include a volumetric cup shaped, sized, and positioned so as to accept a portion of a wearer's breast when worn.

[00026] In some embodiments, the frame of the system may further include a cantilever projection, the cantilever projection extending from a portion of an upper edge of the band, the cantilever projection may be shaped, sized, and positioned so as to accept a portion of a wearer's breast when worn.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[00027] The present application is illustrated by way of example, and not limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[00028] FIGS. 1A-1 C provide illustrations of wearer who is not wearing clothes;

[00029] FIGS. 2A-2E provide illustrations of a user taking a measurement of a wearer in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[00030] FIGS. 3A-3D provide drawings of different views of an exemplary frame in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[00031] FIGS. 4A-4D provide illustrations four exemplary ellipse-like shapes and corresponding sizing arcs in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[00032] FIGS. 5A-5G provide illustrations of exemplary sizing arcs or support structures in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[00033] FIGS. 6A-6C provide illustrations of wearer wearing an exemplary frame in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[00034] FIGS. 7A-7F provide front, back, outside, inside, top, and bottom views, respectively, of an exemplary support structure in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[00035] FIGS. 8A and 8B provide illustrations of wearer wearing an exemplary support structure in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[00036] FIGS. 9A-9C provide illustrations of wearer wearing another exemplary support structure in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; [00037] FIGS. 10A-10F provide illustrations of an exemplary casing in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[00038] FIG. 1 1 provides illustrations of another exemplary casing in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[00039] FIGS. 12A-12F provide illustrations of exemplary systems that include a casing with an exemplary support structure encased therein in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[00040] FIGS. 13A-13C provide illustrations of wearer wearing a set of casings in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[00041] FIGS. 14A-14H provide illustrations of an exemplary housing in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; and

[00042] FIGs. 15A-15G provide illustrations of exemplary support structures in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

[00043] Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals and characters, unless otherwise stated, are used to denote like features, elements, support structures, or portions of the illustrated embodiments. Moreover, while the subject invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, the description is done in connection with the illustrative embodiments. It is intended that changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the subject invention as defined by the appended claims.

WRITTEN DESCRIPTION

[00044] Disclosed herein are various embodiments of a frame, support structure, casing, and housing designed as, and/or for inclusion in and/or with, a garment, such as a bra, sports bra, compression bra, corset, bustier, camisole, swimsuit, sports top, shirt, and dress.

[00045] The frames and support structures disclosed herein may provide structural support for the garments and may be sufficiently rigid so as to shape breast tissue inserted therein into a desired silhouette and maintain that shape/silhouette while being worn by the wearer. The frames and support structures disclosed herein may also be sufficiently rigid to support the weight of breast tissue received therein and redirect that weight to the wearer's torso or, more particularly, to a portion of the wearer's torso at, near, or surrounding her inframammary folds (i.e., around the circumference of her torso (e.g., her side or back)). As used herein, the terms breast and breast tissue refer to a wearer's natural breasts, breast implants, and/or prosthetic breasts.

[00046] The frames and support structures disclosed herein may, in some instances, be encased (e.g., partially, or wholly, surrounded) by a casing, a housing, and/or a portion thereof. In other instances, the frames and/or support structures disclosed herein may be inserted into, and/or positioned on, a casing and/or housing and/or a portion thereof. The casings may be adapted for inclusion in housings, garments, bras, sports bras, compression bras, corsets, bustiers, camisoles, swimsuits, sports tops, shirts, and dresses, and may, in some instances, form a portion of a breast cup, or breast covering, for these garments.

[00047] In some instances, the frames, support structures, casings, and/or housings disclosed herein work together to provide breast weight support and/or bear the load of the wearer's breast weight and redistribute it around, for example, 180°-360 ⁰ of the wearer's torso (at, or near, a horizontal reference line connecting the bottoms of the wearer's inframammary folds) typically without the use of shoulder straps. However, none of the frames, support structures, casings and/or housings precludes the use of one or more shoulder straps. In this way, the frames, support structures, casings, and/or housings disclosed herein support the breast weight from portions of the wearer's torso located at her sides (i.e., the sides of her torso underneath her arms) and underneath the wearer's breasts. In various embodiments, the frames, support structures, casings, and housings and/or features thereof disclosed herein may be interchangeable with one another.

[00048] In most embodiments, the frames, support structures, casings, and/or housings disclosed herein and, in particular, a lower edge thereof, will be arc shaped in a manner that approximates a shape of a circumference of the wearer's torso at, or near, a horizontal reference line connecting the bottoms of the wearer's inframammary folds and, in some instances, above and/or below that horizontal reference line. The frames, support structures, casings, and/or housings will maintain this arc shape even in the absence of outside force so that, for example, breast weight, or load, may be transferred to the wearer's torso by way of a self-supporting cantilever projection, or shelf, that is supported by a portion of the arc-shaped frames, support structures, casings, and/or housings that wrap around a portion of the wearer's circumference.

[00049] The frames, support structures, casings, and housings disclosed herein may be made using any appropriate process including, but not limited to, stamping, press molding, thermal molding, injection molding, 3D printing, spray fabric, sewing, and the like. In some instances, frames, support structures, casings, and housings disclosed herein may be made via thermal molding using aluminum, steel, and/or synthetic molds. In some embodiments, the frames, support structures, casings, and housings may be co-manufactured (i.e., all made from the same material and/or at the same time) as may be possible using a 3D printing process. In other embodiments, one or more of the frames, support structures, casings, and housings and/or components thereof may be separately manufactured and then assembled using any appropriate manner of assembly including, but not limited to, mechanical bonding, thermal bonding, chemical bonding, sewing, and the like. Also, the term "support" as used herein may refer to a weight or mass bearing capability or an ability to support (i.e., hold up) a load, typically in the form of breast weight. In many instances, this support is facilitated by way of a cantilever projection from, for example, a frame, support structure, and/or a portion of a casing and/or housing corresponding to the frame.

[00050] FIG. 1A illustrates an anterior plan view of an exemplary wearer 10 with a first (i.e., left) anterior side 60 and a second (i.e., right) anterior side 65 separated by a sagittal plane center midline 25. FIG. 1 B is a posterior plan view of an exemplary wearer 10 with a first posterior side 70 and a second posterior side 75. FIG. 1 C is a side view of wearer that shows a lateral side of wearer 10. Wearer 10 has a first breast 15 _A and a second breast 15 _B positioned on an anterior side of her torso 20 on either side of an intermammary cleft. In most cases, wearer 10 will be a woman, but this need not always be the case. In some instances, wearer 10 may not have one, or both, breasts as may be the case following, for example, a single or double mastectomy. Additionally, or alternatively, wearer 10 may use one or more breast prosthesis.

[00051] A number of reference points/lines are superimposed upon wearer 10 in FIGs. 1A-1 C so as to facilitate discussion of the invention. For example, in FIG. 1A, sagittal plane center midline 25 bisects wearer 10 through a vertical midline that extends through the intermammary cleft (i.e., between the breasts) and through the center of the wearer's torso as viewed from the front. Sagittal plane center vertical line 25 acts to differentiate between first anterior side 60 and second anterior side 65 of wearer 10. Additionally, an upper torso reference line 30 and a lower torso reference line 35 define the approximate upper and lower limits of a wearer's torso 20. A mid-torso reference line 40 defines an approximate midpoint between the upper and lower torso reference lines 30 and 35, respectively. In some embodiments, mid-torso reference line 40 may correspond with an apex, high point, and/or nipple of wearer's breasts 15 and/or a desired apex, high point, and/or nipple of wearer's breasts 15 when wearing a garment or garment component. For ease of discussion, the apex, high point, and/or nipple of wearer's breasts 15 may be referred to herein as simply an apex. A horizontal inframammary fold reference line 45 defines an approximate position for the wearer's inframammary fold (i.e., where the breast 15 meets or joins with the wearer's torso 20), a first horizontal reference line 46 defines a first position below the wearer's inframammary fold and a second horizontal reference line 47 defines a second position below the wearer's inframammary fold that is below the first horizontal reference line 46.

[00052] In FIG. 1 B, sagittal plane center midline 25 bisects wearer 10 through center of the head along the spine thereby defining first posterior side 70 and second posterior side 75 of wearer 10. In FIG. 1 C, a side vertical midline 50 bisects the anterior and posterior of wearer 10 through a vertical midline that extends through the center of the wearer's torso as viewed from the side and a vertical inframammary fold reference line 52 represents where the inframammary fold for the wearer is as seen from the side.

[00053] FIGs. 2A-2E provide images showing how a first, second, third measurement of wearer 10, when she is wearing a traditional bra, may be taken and/or values for these measurements may be determined. More specifically, FIG. 2A provides a side-perspective view and FIG. 2B provides a front view of wearer 10 wearing a standard/traditional underwire bra (preferably her favorite/most comfortable bra) with a first side 21 OA and a second side 210B who is being measured by a user 250 (whose hands appear in the illustration) taking a breast volume measurement. The breast volume measurement of FIGs. 2A and 2B is taken by using a tape measure 220 to measure the distance between the outermost side of both breasts at, or near, a height that aligns with the apex of the breasts along second horizontal reference line 40 as discussed above with regard to FIG. 1A. In many instances, the outermost side of the wearer's breasts will correspond to where the bra's underwire 215 sits as shown in FIGs. 2A and 2B. When the wearer is not wearing clothes (i.e., a traditional underwire bra), the first, or front volume, measurement may be taken by measuring the distance between an intersection of a wearer's first breast and second horizontal reference line 40 (or first bust root), around her back, to an intersection of a wearer's second breast and second horizontal reference line 40 (or second bust root).

[00054] A second measurement of the wearer may correspond to a back volume measurement, which may be a measurement of a distance extending from the outside of the wearer's first breast (or bust root), around her back to the outside of her second breast as shown in FIGs. 2C and 2D, wherein FIG. 2C provides a side-perspective view of the wearer 10 and FIG. 2D provides a back view of the wearer 10 wearing a standard bra who is being measured by user 250 taking a back volume measurement. The back volume measurement may be taken by using tape measure 220 to measure a distance between the outermost side of both breasts or under wire 215 around a back of the bra 225 along a line that is at, or near, the apex of the breasts as shown in FIGs. 2C and 2D. When the wearer is not wearing clothes, the second, or back volume, measurement may be taken by measuring the distance between an intersection of a wearer's first breast and second horizontal reference line 40 (or first bust root), around her back, to an intersection of a wearer's second breast and second horizontal reference line 40 (or second bust root).

[00055] A third measurement of the wearer may correspond to a circumference of the wearer's torso at, or near her inframammary fold (see e.g., horizontal reference line 45 as discussed above with regard to FIGs. 1 A- 1 C), as shown in FIG. 2E, which provides an illustration of user 250 measuring the circumference of wearer 10 under at her inframammary fold/under her bra's underwire 215 with measuring tape 220.

[00056] Although the measurements described above are taken by manually measuring the dimensions of a wearer, a person of skill in the art will recognize that other measurement methods, or schemes, are covered by the methods disclosed herein. For example, a first, second, and/or third (or more) measurement(s) may be taken, augmented, and/or confirmed by analyzing a 3D scan of the wearer's torso and/or breasts, a photograph of the wearer's torso or breasts, and/or 3D photograph of the wearer's torso and/or breasts.

[00057] FIGs. 3A-3D provide drawings of an exemplary frame 300 as viewed from the front, a first side, a second side, and bottom, respectively. In many circumstances, frame 300 is adapted for positioning in a first side of a frame or garment (not shown) including two frames 300, one positioned on first and second sides of the frame/garment that are a mirror image of one another. In most instances, the first side of the frame/garment corresponds to the first anterior side 60 of wearer 10 and the second side of the frame/garment corresponds to the second anterior side 65 of wearer 10. Exemplary garments that may incorporate frames 300 include, but are not limited to, bras, sports bras, compression bras, corsets, bustiers, camisoles, swimsuits, sports tops, shirts, and dresses. [00058] Frame 300 may act to provide support for a wearer's 10 breast weight by, for example, redistributing breast weight to the wearer's torso 20. On some occasions, frame 300 may provide support for a cantilever projection in the form of, for example, a volumetric cup, or portion thereof, adapted to accept insertion of a portions of a wearer's breast therein. In some circumstances, frame 300 may also act to maintain proper placement of frame 300 and/or a casing or garment including the frame on the wearer's body (i.e., under the wearer's breast 15 and/or around her torso) when a garment and/or casing including frame 300 is worn by wearer 10.

[00059] A size and/or shape of frame 300 and/or portions thereof may be adjusted (e.g., scaled up or down) based on sizing and/or support needs or preferences of wearer 10. For example, frames 300 adapted for wear by wearers 10 with relatively large breasts may be thicker or made from different materials than frames 300 adapted for wearers 10 with smaller breasts. In another example, frames 300 for wearer 10 may be sized/adapted based on one or more dimensions or measurements of wearer 10, such as, for example, circumference of wearer's torso 20 measured at an apex or underside of wearer's breasts 15 at, for example, mid-torso reference line 40, horizontal inframammary fold reference line 45, first horizontal reference line 46, and/or second horizontal reference line 46. In most circumstances, an array of differently sized/shaped frames may be made to, for example, accommodate wearers of different sizes and/or different wearer preferences and/or garment, support structure, casing, and/or frame specifications.

[00060] Frame 300 may be made from any appropriate material including, but not limited to, plastic, foam, resin, metal, metal wire, plastic wire, and combinations thereof. Exemplary plastics that may be used to manufacture the frame include, but are not limited to, PVC, thermoset plastics, and thermoplastics such as TPR, TPU, or TPE, all of which may be used in varying grades and durometers.

[00061] Although frame 300 is shown as a single piece, this need not be the case. For example, a frame 300 may include two or more pieces that may be coupled together via, for example, a flexible or rigid bond induced via, for example, a chemical or mechanical bonding process. In some instances, joints between two or more pieces that make up a frame 300 may be flexible and, in other instances, the joints may be rigid.

[00062] An exemplary range of thickness for a frame 300 is 0.01 mm-20mm. In some cases, the thickness and/or range of thicknesses of a particular frame may depend on the overall size of the frame, support structure, and/or a casing, and/or garment the frame is designed to fit into and/or cooperate with. In some embodiments, a thickness of a frame 300 may be uniform throughout the respective frame 300 and, in other embodiments, a thickness of a frame 300 may vary in different part(s) of the respective frame. For example, a frame 300 may be thicker in areas where greater rigidity/support is desired and may be thinner in areas where greater flexibility/less support is desired. For instance, a material making up a portion of a frame 300 positioned underneath a breast cup (e.g., a portion adapted to coincide with a wearer's 10 inframammary fold when worn) may be thicker that the material making up a portion of on an inside edge of the frame 300.

[00063] As may be seen in FIGS. 3A-3D, frame 300 includes three sections: an under-bust band 330 positioned in an approximate center of frame 300 when viewed from the front between an intermammary-cleft portion 310 and a wrap-around portion 345. A transition between under-bust band 330 and intermammary-cleft portion 310 is delineated by intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305 and a transition between under-bust band 330 and wraparound portion 345 is delineated by wrap-around portion reference line 370. Both intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305 and wrap-around portion reference line 370 are not part of frame 300 and are superimposed on the figures provided herein to facilitate discussion of frame 300 and portions thereof.

[00064] In some instances, a dimension of wrap-around portion 345 (e.g., length, width, thickness) may be responsive to a size and/or a shape of an intended wearer so that, for example, wrap-around portion 345 may provide proper support for a cantilever projection (typically in the form of a breast cup or a portion thereof, an example of which is discussed below with regard to support structure 700).

[00065] Boundaries of intermammary-cleft portion 310 may be defined by a combination of an intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305, an intermammary-cleft portion upper edge 315, an inside edge 320, and an intermammary-cleft portion lower edge 325. In most embodiments, an intersection between any two of these edges/lines is not a right angle and may be rounded in shape. For example, intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305 is oriented at an angle (i.e., not parallel to an wrap-around portion reference line 370) so that a length of intermammary-cleft portion lower edge 325 is greater than a length of intermammary-cleft portion upper edge

315. A size or shape of intermammary-cleft portion 310 may be varied in order to accommodate, for example, an actual position of a wearer's breast or breasts 15 on wearer's torso 20 (e.g., breasts that are positioned close together or far apart on the chest), a desired position of a wearer's breast or breasts 15 on wearer's torso 20, and/or a width of a wearer's intermammary cleft. An exemplary way of varying the shape or size of intermammary-cleft portion 310 is to vary an angel at which intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305 is oriented, adjust a length of intermammary-cleft portion upper edge 315, adjust a length of intermammary-cleft portion lower edge 325, and/or adjust a length of inside edge 320 and/or otherwise adjust relative dimensions of intermammary-cleft portion upper edge 315, intermammary- cleft portion lower edge 325, and/or inside edge 320.

[00066] In some instances, a vertical plane of intermammary-cleft portion 310 is adapted to coincide with wearer's 10 inframammary cleft when frame 300 is coincident with wearer's torso 20 (i.e., wearer 10 is wearing frame 300). In some embodiments, a vertical plane of intermammary-cleft portion 310 may be flat (i.e., planar) and, in other instances, the vertical plane intermammary- cleft portion 310 may be curved (e.g., concavely curved).

[00067] Under-bust band 330 may have an upper edge 340 and a lower edge 335. An overall shape of under-bust band lower edge 335, as well as a curvature of upper edge 340 and lower edge 335, may approximate a shape of wearer's 10 inframammary fold. In some instances, a size of a frame 300 may incorporate one or more measurements of the wearer's 10 inframammary fold as may be dictated by, for example, the wearer's garment or bra size. Further information regarding the measurement, or sizing, of a wearer's inframammary fold is provided below with regard to FIG. 5G.

[00068] In some embodiments, an interior side of under-bust band upper edge 340 (or a portion thereof) may not be aligned with an exterior side of under- bust band upper edge 340 (or a portion thereof). For example, a portion of an interior side of under-bust band upper edge 340 may be higher than a portion of an exterior side of under-bust band upper edge 340. This arrangement may be advantageous when, for example, it is desired to push breast tissue upwards. In another example, a portion of an interior side of under-bust band upper edge 340 may be lower than a portion of an exterior side of under-bust band upper edge 340. This arrangement may be advantageous when, for example, adding a volumetric cup portion or other component to frame 300 as the height difference between the interior and exterior sides of under-bust band upper edge 340 may act to retain a component added to frame 300. Additionally, or alternatively, this lack of alignment between the interior and exterior sides under-bust band upper edge 340 may be used to achieve a desired silhouette of the wearer's breasts when wearing a garment including frame 300. In both of these examples, a top of under-bust band upper edge 340 (or a portion thereof) may angled (i.e., not flat).

[00069] In some embodiments, frame 300 may be configured so that under- bust band lower edge 335 corresponds to a position of 0.4-15cm below a wearer's 10 inframammary fold. In some instances, a distance between under-bust band lower edge 335 and the wearer's 10 inframammary fold may be constant and, in other instances, it may vary (e.g., a distance between under-bust band lower edge 335 and the inframammary fold gradually increases from intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305 toward wrap-around portion reference line 370). For example, In the embodiment of frame 300, upper edge 340 and lower edge 335 are approximately parallel with one another at, or near, intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305 until approximately a center point of under-bust band 330 after which a width of under-bust band 330 increases to a maximum width at wrap-around portion reference line 370 so that under-bust band lower edge 335 form approximately the center of under-bust band 330 to wrap-around portion reference line 370 is only slightly curved along the X- Y plane (i.e., nearly a straight line) when viewed from the front. In this way, the breast weight is supported by the portion of the frame 300 positioned on the outside of the wearer's breast 15.

[00070] In some embodiments, a shape, or curvature of under-bust band lower edge 335 may change along its length. For example, a shape of under-bust band lower edge 335 may approximate a curvature of wearer's 10 inframammary fold at a center of under-bust band 330 and a curvature of under-bust band lower edge 335 may change (e.g., curve in the opposite direction) at, or near, wrap-around portion reference line 370 and/or intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305. In this way, the under-bust band lower edge 335 is curved so as to, for example, prevent the frame 300 from extending too far down wearer's 10 body when worn. This may serve to increase the comfort of wearing frame 300 as well as decrease likelihood that wearing frame 300 will interfere and/or uncomfortably coincide with a wearer's diaphragm or abdomen and/or inhibit wearer's movement or breathing.

[00071] Under-bust band upper edge 340 may be curved in a manner approximating a wearer's inframammary fold (i.e., where an underside of a woman's breast meets her torso). One or more dimensions of under-bust band upper edge 340 (e.g., length, radius of curvature, etc.) may be adjusted based on a size or shape of a wearer 10, a size or shape of her breasts 15, her breast mass, and/or her breast volume as is discussed in greater detail below. In some instances, a radius of curvature for the under-bust band upper edge 340 remains consistent through the length of under-bust band upper edge 340 and, in other instances, a radius of curvature for the under- bust band upper edge 340 may change along a length of under-bust band upper edge 340 in, for example, a parabolic shape or an irregular shape so as to, for example, effect repositioning of breast tissue and/or the wearer's 10 anatomy.

[00072] In some cases, a shape of under-bust band upper edge 340 may be such that a height of under-bust band 330 is greater toward a wrap-around portion 345 portion of frame 300 than toward the intermammary-cleft portion 310 of frame 300. This may act to, for example, shape an outer edge of a wearer's breast 15 and push the breast volume upward and/or toward a center of wearer's torso.

[00073] In many instances, a distance between under-bust band upper edge 340 and under-bust band lower edge 335 at wrap-around portion reference line 370 may be greater than a distance between under-bust band upper edge 340 and under-bust band lower edge 335 at intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305. This increased width of frame 300 may provide support for the distribution of weight from the wearer's breast 15 to her torso 20 by, for example, providing support for a cantilever projection extending from under-bust band upper edge 340 as will be discussed below.

[00074] Wrap-around portion 345 may begin at, or near, wrap-around portion reference line 370 and extend toward outside edge 350. A size and shape of wrap-around portion 345 is delineated by a wrap-around portion outer edge 350, a wrap-around portion lower edge 355, a wrap-around portion upper edge 360 and wrap-around portion reference line 370. As may be seen in FIGs. 3B and 3C, wrap-around portion outer edge 350 is a substantially straight, substantially vertically oriented edge however, this need not be the case. For example, wrap-around portion outer edge 350 may be oriented at an angle, may have a curved edge, and/or may have an irregular edge so as to, for example, minimize a profile of the edge and/or maximize wearer's 10 comfort when worn.

[00075] In the examples of FIGs. 3A-3D, wrap-around portion lower edge 355 meets wrap-around portion outer edge 350 at an angle of greater than 90° thereby creating an upwardly sloping line, or edge, for wrap-around portion outer edge 350. Wrap-around portion upper edge 360 meets wrap-around outer edge 350 at an angle of greater than 90° thereby creating an upwardly sloping line, or upper edge, until wrap-around portion upper edge 360 extends to a peak 365. The shape of wrap-around portion 345 may be such that it avoids contact with the armpit region of a wearer 10 when worn. Although peak 365 is shown to be fairly pointy, or sharp, in FIGs. 3A-3D, this need not be the case as peak 365 may, in some instances, be curved or square shaped and/or an angle between edges 340 and 360 may be larger than shown in FIGs. 3A-3D. In some instances, frame 300 may bend inwards (in the Z direction) at peak 365 so that when worn by a wearer 10, the peak portion of the frame may press into the wearer's skin or otherwise conform to a surface of the wearer's skin. In other instances, frame 300 may bend outwards (in the Z direction) at peak 365 so that when worn by a wearer 10, the peak 365 of the frame may not come into contact with the wearer's skin or otherwise conform to a surface of the wearer's skin.

[00076] As pictured in FIGs. 3A-3D, wrap-around portion lower edge 355 has a slightly concave curvature so that it tapers upwards. This need not always be the case for other frames like frame 300 as a wrap-around portion lower edge 355 of a different frame may be straight or may be at an angle oriented downwards.

[00077] One or more dimensions of wrap-around portion 345 may be adjusted to accommodate for differences in size or shape of a wearer 10. For example, wrap-around portion 345 may be configured to extend in the direction of side vertical midline 50 of a wearer 10 when worn and, on some occasions, wrap-around portion 345 may extend to side vertical midline 50 and on other occasions, wrap-around portion 345 may extend beyond side vertical midline 50 to the wearer's posterior side 70 (e.g., wrap around the wearer's lateral side and a portion of her posterior side). In some instances, a thickness of wrap-around portion 345 may vary so that, for example, the wrap-around portion 345 is thicker at, or near, the wrap-around portion reference line 370 and thinner toward wrap-around portion outside edge 350. [00078] The lower edge of frame 300 (i.e., inframammary-cleft portion lower edge 325, under-bust portion lower edge 335, and wrap-around portion lower edge 355) form one continuous arc 375 as shown in FIG. 3D. At times, arc 375 may be a regularly shaped portion of an ellipse or parabola and, in other instances, arc 375 may be irregularly shaped (i.e., the radius of curvature may change along the arc). In many instances, a shape of arc 375 may approximate a cross-sectional shape of a wearer's torso 20 at, or near, her inframammary fold (i.e., at or near horizontal inframammary fold reference line 45) or below her inframammary fold (i.e., at or near first horizontal reference line and/or second horizontal reference line 47). When held in an upright position (as shown in FIG. 3A) arc 375 extends in the -Z direction on a Cartesian axis whereby an apex of arc 375 is positioned roughly in the center of under-bust band 330 and a portion of arc 375 near inside edge 320 and a portion of arc 375 near wrap-around portion outside edge 350 extends into the -Z plane to make the curvature of arc 375. Further details regarding a shape of arc 375 and how a wearer is sized with an appropriately shaped arc 375 are provided below with regard to sizing arcs 420A, 420B, 420C, 420D, 520A, 520B, 520C, and/or 550 as discussed below with regard to FIGs. 5A-5G, respectively.

[00079] Although FIGs. 3A-3D show a frame 300 designed to be worn on first breast 15A, it will be understood that frame 300, and/or the dimensions or manufacturing instructions used to manufacture frame 300, may be adapted to correspond to the wearer's second breast 15 _B by, for example, using a mirror image of the dimensions used to manufacture frame 300.

[00080] FIGs. 4A-4D provide four exemplary ellipse-like shapes 400, 401 , 402 and 403, respectively that approximate circumferential dimensions of a respective first, second, third, and fourth wearer's torso 20 as measured at horizontal inframammary fold reference line 45. As shown in FIGs. 4A-4D, the circumference of the second wearer's torso/the size of ellipse 401 is larger than the circumference of the first wearer's torso/the size of ellipse 400; the circumference of the third wearer's torso/the size of ellipse 402 is larger than the circumference of the second wearer's torso/the size of ellipse 401 ; and the circumference of the fourth wearer's torso/the size of ellipse 403 is larger than the circumference of the third wearer's torso/the size of ellipse 402 so as to represent a relatively increasing size of the first, second, third, and fourth wearer's torso along the series. It will be understood by those of skill in the art that other shapes, or combinations of shapes, (e.g., square, oval, circle, etc.) may better approximate the dimensions of the wearer's torso.

[00081] For the purpose of discussion, each of ellipses 400, 401 , 402, and 403 are divided into four quadrants, or arcs and is discussed as though it is in an X-Z plane that is perpendicular to the sagittal plane center midline 25 with reference line 410 representing the Z-axis and reference line 50 representing the X-axis. Reference line 50 of FIGs. 4A-4D corresponds with vertical midline 50. An upper left arc 425A, 425B, 425C, and 425D of ellipses 400, 401 , 402, and 403, respectively, correspond to the first (i.e., left) anterior side 60 of wearer 10. An upper right arc 430A, 430B, 1513A, and 430D of ellipses 400, 401 , 402, and 403, respectively, correspond to the second (i.e., right) anterior side 65 of wearer 10. A lower left arc 435A, 435B, 435C, and 435D of ellipses 400, 401 , 402, and 403, respectively, corresponds to the first (i.e., left) posterior side 70 of wearer 10. A lower right arc 440A, 440B, 440C, and 440D of ellipses 400, 401 , 402, and 403, respectively, corresponds to the second (i.e., right) posterior side 75 of wearer 10.

[00082] FIGs. 4A-4D also provide an exemplary sizing arc 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D, respectively. Sizing arcs 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D may approximate a cross-sectional shape of the wearer's torso at, or near, horizontal inframammary fold reference line 45 and, in some instances; one or more dimensions (e.g., length, radius of curvature, shape, etc.) of sizing arcs 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D may be determined using dimensions of ellipses 400, 401 , 402, and 403, respectively, (e.g., upper right arc 430 and/or lower right arc 440). In some instances, sizing arcs 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D may be a virtual, or mathematical, approximation of the shape of the wearer's torso 20 generated by a processor or computer based on a mathematical approximation of a wearer's torso 20. In other instances, one or more virtual pre-generated sizing arcs 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D may be matched with an ellipse like ellipses 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D approximating one or more dimensions of a particular wearer 10. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more sizing arcs 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D may be manufactured and/or physically rendered using, for example, plastic or other material for manually matching a particular sizing arc 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D with a wearer's torso 20 as described in greater detail below.

083] One or more dimensions and/or relative proportions of a particular sizing arc 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D may be determined and/or used to select a sizing arc from a plurality of predetermined and/or previously manufactured sizing arcs based on one or more of the dimensions and/or relative proportions of arc(s) 430A, 430B, 430C, 430D, 440A, 440B, 440C, and/or 440D for a respective one of first, second, third, and/or fourth wearer, respectively. In some instances, the dimensions along the entire curvature of arc(s) 430A, 430B, 430C, 430D, 440A, 440B, 440C, and/or 440D may be used so determine a size for a respective one of first, second, third, and/or fourth wearer, respectively. In other instances, one or more points along arc(s) 430A, 430B, 430C, 430D, 440A, 440B, 440C, and/or 440D for a respective one of first, second, third, and/or fourth wearer, (as opposed to the entire curvature) may be used to determine a dimension of sizing arc 420A, 420B, 420C, and/or 420D and/or select a particular sizing arc 420A, 420B, 420C, and/or 420D from the plurality for a respective one of first, second, third, and/or fourth wearer. For example, an approximation of the shape of a wearer's torso may be made by determining a value along the X- axis when Z equals 0, a value along the Z-axis when X equals 0, and, in some instances, a set of coordinates for one or more points along the arc(s) 430A, 430B, 430C, 430D, 440A, 440B, 440C, and/or 440D may be used to determine dimensions for a sizing arc 420A, 420B, 420C, and/or 420D and/or select a sizing arc 420A, 420B, 420C, and/or 420D from a plurality of sizing arcs. In some embodiments, the plurality of sizing arcs 420A, 420B, 420C, and/or 420D may be manufactured as a tool for manually determining a size of a wearer 10 (via, e.g., placing a number of sizing arcs up against the wearer 10 in order to determine which one best approximates the size and shape of the wearer) without the use of ellipses 400, 401 , 402, and/or 403 and/or measurements of wearer 10.

[00084] Although not shown in FIGs. 4A, 4B, 4C, or 4D it will be understood by those of skill in the art that another sizing arc (not shown) with dimensions that may mirror one or more dimensions of sizing arc(s) 420A, 420B, 420C, and/or 420D may also be used. This sizing arc have many of the same characteristics as sizing arc 420A, 420B, 420C, and/or 420D but may be designed to approximate and/or correspond to the dimensions of arc(s) 425A, 425B, 425C, 425D, 435A, 435B, 435C, and/or 435D.

[00085] In one embodiment, one or more dimensions of sizing arc(s) 420A, 420B, 420C, and/or 420D may be used to design, make, or select an exemplary frame, support structure, casing, and/or housing such as the frames, support structures, casings, and housings disclosed herein. For example, sizing arc 425A, 425B, 425C, and/or 425D may be used to determine and/or select one or more dimensions (e.g., curvature, length, width, etc.) for arc 375 and, in other instances, the dimensions of sizing arc(s) 425A, 425B, 425C, 425D may correspond to the dimensions of intermammary-cleft portion 310, under-bust band 330, and/or wrap-around portion 345 such as intermammary-cleft portion lower edge 325, under-bust band lower edge 335, and/or wrap-around portion lower edge 355. Additionally, or alternatively, sizing arc(s) 420A, 420B, 420C, and/or 420D may correspond to one or a bra size or aspect of a bra size.

[00086] In another embodiment, a plurality of physical sizing arcs like sizing arcs 425A, 425B, 425C, 425D may be physically generated/produced and each sizing arc of the plurality may have a different set of dimensions (i.e., be of a different size/shape) that may, in some cases, correspond with a sizing convention. Each of the sizing arcs of the plurality may correspond to a frame, support structure, and/or casing as described herein of a different size and/or shape (e.g., a different set of dimensions for arc 375, intermammary- cleft portion 310, under-bust band 330, and/or wrap-around portion 345). [00087] In the examples of FIG. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D, the curvature of the sizing arcs 420A, 420b, 420C, and 420D closely matches the curvature of the arc 430A 430B, 430C, or 430D, respectively, and a respective portion of arc 440A, 440B, 440C, or 440D. In these examples, the sizing arcs 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D are intended to wrap around the side of the wearer's torso past reference line 50, but not extend all the way around to the wearer's posterior to, for example, reference line 410. However, in some instances, a curvature of the sizing arc 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D may be selected that does not closely match the curvature of, for example, arc 430A 430B, 430C, or 430D and a respective portion of arc 440A, 440B, 440C, or 440D. In these instances, a differently shaped curvature for sizing arc 420A, 420b, 420C, or 420C may be desired so as to, for example, reposition breast volume in a desired way, optimize comfort for wearing a garment including a frame, support structure, and/or casing manufactured and/or selected for the wearer, and/or compensate for a feature of a garment that includes a frame, casing, support structure, and/or housing examples of which are disclosed herein.

[00088] Additionally, or alternatively, the size and shape of ellipse(s) 400, 401 , 402, or 403 may be used to determine an appropriate distance between reference line 410 and the starting point of sizing arc(s) 420, 420B, 420C and/or 420D so that, for example, a positioning of a frame, support structure, and/or casing within a housing or garment may be responsive to the dimensions of the wearer.

[00089] As shown in FIGs. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D, a length of sizing arcs 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D (i.e., how far the arc wraps around a wearer) may be responsive to the size of the wearer. In the embodiments of these figures, the sizing arcs 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D wrap around to a reference line 445, which extends from the intersection of reference line 410 and vertical reference line 50 at an angle to vertical reference line 50 so that reference line 445 is coincident with an end of sizing arc 420A, 420B, 420C, and 420D. In the embodiments of FIGs. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D, the angle between vertical reference line 50 and reference line 445 decreases in magnitude (i.e., reference line 445 moves closer to vertical reference line 50) as the size of ellipse 400, 401 , 402, and 1503 increases. In this way, sizing arc 420D does not extend as far around the relatively large ellipse 1503 as sizing arc 420D extends around the relatively smaller ellipse 400. This may offer a few benefits such as, for example, interchangeability of frames, support structures, and/or casings between sizes (e.g., a sizing arc 420A may be adapted so that it may be worn with a wearer who approximates ellipse 402 by expanding sizing arc 420A around her). Another benefit is that larger wearers typically have softer tissue on their back. Having less of their back covered with the sizing arc or a corresponding frame, support structure, or casing would mean the sizing arc would be less likely to press into the soft tissue and create unwanted bulges of tissue. A further benefit is that when the angle between vertical reference line 50 and reference line 445 is relatively small, this enables a larger portion of the cantilevering of the frame, support structure, and/or casing to be provided closer to the breast tissue than when the angle is relatively larger. This allows the sizing arc to provide greater support for a cantilever projection for larger wearers and/or wearers with larger breasts.

90] FIGs. 5A-5F provide a set of figures that illustrate a set of sizing arcs 520A, 520B, and 520C that may be determined, used, and/or selected to approximate dimensions of a wearer's torso 20 and/or determine a size or shape for a frame, support structure, casing, and/or housing for a wearer 10. While only three sizing arcs are shown in FIGs. 5A-5F, it will be understood that any number (e.g., 1 , 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and so on) of sizing arcs may be appropriate/used. Sizing arcs may correspond to dimensions of a frame, support structure, and/or casing, such as frame 300, support structure 700, casing 1000, and/or housing 1400 as is discussed below in greater detail. More particularly, FIGs. 5A-5C each show an ellipse 501 , 502, and 503, respectively that approximately correspond (in a manner similar to ellipses 400-1503) to a size and shape of cross sections of an exemplary wearer's 10 torso at horizontal inframammary fold reference line 45, first horizontal reference line 46, and second horizontal reference line 47, respectively. In the example of FIGs. 5A-5C, the dimensions of wearer 10 as they progress from horizontal inframammary fold reference line 45 through second horizontal reference line 47 increase in size (i.e., a circumference of the wearer's torso at second horizontal reference line 47 is larger than a circumference of wearer's torso 20 at horizontal inframammary fold reference line 45) as may be the case when wearer 10 is overweight. More specifically, FIG. 5A shows ellipse 501 , represents an approximation of the cross- sectional dimensions of the wearer's 10 torso at, or near, horizontal inframammary fold reference line 45; ellipse 502 represents an approximation of the cross-sectional dimensions of the wearer's 10 torso at, or near, first horizontal reference line 46; and ellipse 503, which represents an approximation of the cross-sectional dimensions of the wearer's 10 torso at, or near, second horizontal reference line 47. Ellipses 501 , 502, and 503 are oriented in the Z-Y plane that is perpendicular to the sagittal plane center midline 25 with reference line 410 representing the Z-axis and vertical reference line 50 (which corresponds with vertical reference line 50) representing the X-axis. An upper left arc 525A, 525B, and 525C of ellipses

501 , 502, and 503, respectively correspond to the first (i.e., left) anterior side 60 of wearer 10. An upper right arc 530A, 530B, and 530C of ellipses 501 ,

502, and 503, respectively correspond to the second (i.e., right) anterior side 65 of wearer 10. A lower left arc 535A, 535B, and 535C of ellipses 501 , 502, and 503, respectively corresponds to the first (i.e., left) posterior side 70 of wearer 10. A lower right arc 540A, 540B, and 540C of ellipses 501 , 502, and

503, respectively corresponds to the second (i.e., right) posterior side 75 of wearer 10. Ellipses 501 , 502, and/or 503 as well as sizing arcs 520A, 520B, and/or 520C may be mathematical approximations of a wearer's dimensions generated by a processor or computer based on a mathematical approximation of a wearer's torso 20.

91] FIG. 5A illustrates an exemplary first sizing arc 520A that bears similarity to sizing arc(s) 420A, 420B, 420C, and/or 420D except that it is of a different size/has a different set of dimensions (e.g., length, radius of curvature, shape, etc.) that correspond to the size and shape of upper right arc 530A and/or a portion of lower right arc 540A. Like sizing arc(s) 420A, 420B, 420C, and/or 420D, one or more dimensions of first sizing arc 520A may be used to design and/or make an exemplary frame, support structure, and/or casing, such as the frames, support structures, and casings disclosed herein and/or select a frame, support structure, and/or casing as being of an appropriate size for the wearer.

[00092] FIG. 5B illustrates an exemplary second sizing arc 520B that bears similarity to first sizing arc 520A except that it is of a different size/has a different set of dimensions (e.g., length, radius of curvature, shape, etc.) that correspond to the size and shape of upper right arc 530B and/or a portion of lower right arc 540B. Like first sizing arc 520A, one or more dimensions of second sizing arc 520B may be used to design and/or make an exemplary frame, support structure, or casing, such as the frames and casings disclosed herein as will be discussed below.

[00093] FIG. 5C illustrates an exemplary third sizing arc 520C that bears similarity to second sizing arc 520B except that it is of a different size/has a different set of dimensions (e.g., length, radius of curvature, shape, etc.) that correspond to the size and shape of upper right arc 530C and/or a portion of lower right arc 540B. Like first and second sizing arcs 520A and 520B, one or more dimensions of third sizing arc 520C may be used to design and/or make an exemplary frame, support structure, and/or casing, such as the frames support structures, and/or casings disclosed herein as will be discussed below.

[00094] FIG. 5D provides a diagram of first, second, and third sizing arcs 520A, 520B, and 520C, respectively, as viewed from above and superimposed with one another thereby providing a contour map 504 showing how the size, shape, and/or position of sizing arcs 520A, 520B, and 520C relate to one another with regard to reference lines 50 and 1510. Contour map 504 may then be used to determine various dimensions (e.g., curvature, length, width, etc.) for arc 375, frame 300, support structure 700, and/or casing 1000 as shown in FIGs. 5E and 5F. Additionally, or alternatively, contour map 504 and/or sizing arcs 501 , 502, and/or 503 may be used to determine and/or select a wearer's garment sizing.

[00095] FIG. 5E shows a cross-section of an exemplary support structure 505 that includes a volumetric cup portion 550 and an under-bust band 330 as bisected vertically through a center of the volumetric cup portion 550. Support structures like support structure 505 and volumetric cup portions like volumetric cup portion 710 will be discussed in greater detail below with regard to FIGs. 7A-7F. FIG. 5E also shows a first sizing arc position 520A', a second sizing arc position 520B', and third sizing arc position 520C, all of which have positions that correspond with different portions under-bust band 330.

[00096] Support structure 505 may be manufactured and/or selected for the wearer 10 whose measurements were used to determine ellipses 501 , 502, and 503 and/or first, second, and/or third sizing arcs 520A, 520B, and 520C. Support structure 505 has a length determined by the distance between first sizing arc position 520A' and third sizing arc position 520C and is positioned at an angle 545 relative to vertical reference line 510. Vertical reference line 510 is intended to approximately superimpose, or line up, with vertical inframammary fold reference line 52. The size of angle 545 may be determined by a relative distance between first sizing arc position 520A' and second sizing arc position 520B', first sizing arc position 520A' and third sizing arc position 520C, and/or second sizing arc position 520B' and third sizing arc position 520C as provided by, for example, contour map like contour map 504. In the example of support structure 505, the angle/plane of under-bust band 330 is constant for the length of under-bust band 330 (i.e., the magnitude of angle 545 does not change along the length).

[00097] In some embodiments, like the support structure 506 provided by FIG.

5F, the cross-section of under-bust band 330 may vary according to, for example, dimensions of a wearer 10 and/or ellipses 501 , 502, and/or 503. As shown in FIG. 5F, a first portion of under-bust band 330 between first sizing arc position 520A' and second sizing arc position 520B' is substantially parallel with vertical reference line 510 and a second portion of under-bust band 330 between second sizing arc position 520B' and third sizing arc position 520C is oriented at an angle 545 relative to vertical reference line 510. This shape of support structure 506 and/or under-bust band 330 may fit a wearer who is smaller than the wearer for support structure 505. Additionally, or alternatively, a shape of support structure 506 and/or under- bust band 330 may fit a wearer whose abdomen extends outward as may occur when, for example, the wearer is obese or is pregnant. In some instances, a junction in under-bust band 330 between sizing arc positions 520B' and 520C may be flexible so as to enable under-bust band 330 to bend or flex about this joint.

[00098] In some instances, the sizing arcs of FIGs. 4A-4D and 5A-5F may be similar to, and/or the same as, the under-bust bands discussed herein and the sizing arcs and/or a lower edge thereof may be shaped like arc 375. At times, a frame, support structure, casing, and/or housing (or a portion thereof) as discussed herein may be substituted for the sizing arcs disclosed herein to, for example, establish a size of a wearer by directly comparing her body with the respective frame, support structure, casing, and/or housing.

[00099] Additionally, or alternatively, the sizing arcs of FIGs. 4A-4D and 5A-5F may be adapted to determine a size and/or shape of a wearer's inframammary fold by, for example, providing a series of different sizes and shapes for an inframammary fold for comparison to the wearer's anatomy/inframammary fold. An example of a sizing arc that may be used to determine a size of a wearer's inframammary fold 555 (or an inframammary fold sizing arc) is provided by FIG. 5G. In the example of FIG. 5G, an example of a wearer's inframammary fold 555 that corresponds with the second front side 65 of her body and/or her second breast 15B is shown along with inframammary fold sizing arc 560 that closely matches the shape and size of inframammary fold 555.

[000100] In some embodiments, the size and/or shape of sizing arc upper edge 565 may be a mathematical approximation of the wearer's inframammary fold determined by, for example, a computer or processor responsively to, for example, measurement and/or preference information regarding the wearer in, for example, a manner similar to sizing arcs 420A, 420B, 420C, 420D, 520A, 520B, and/or 520C, sizing arc 560 and/or a shape or size of sizing arc upper edge 565. Additionally, or alternatively, inframammary fold 555 may be the wearer's actual, physical, inframammary fold and a plurality of tangible inframammary fold sizing arcs 560 may be physically embodied as a set of inframammary fold sizing arcs 560 and a wearer's inframammary arc size/shape may be manually determined by holding up one or more inframammary fold sizing arcs 560 to the wearer's inframammary fold 555 until the inframammary fold sizing arcs 560 with an upper edge 565 matching or approximating a size/shape of inframammary fold 555 is determined. The inframammary fold sizing arc 560 selected or determined (manually and/or mathematically) may be incorporated into, for example, the wearer's garment size.

101] FIGs. 6A, 6B, and 6C provide an image of wearer 10 wearing an exemplary frame 300 _A on her first anterior side 60 and a frame 300 _B on her second anterior side 65 as seen from the anterior, lateral, and posterior sides of wearer 10, respectively. Frames 300 _A and 300 _B are primarily positioned underneath the wearer's first breast 15 _A and second breast 15 _B . so that under-bust band upper edge 340 aligns with (e.g., fits under) the wearer's first and second breasts 15 _A and 15 _B and/or her inframammary folds. It is expected that wearer 10 will wear frames 300 _A and 300 _B when they are positioned within and/or coupled to a support structure, casing, housing, and/or garment (not shown) as discussed herein and FIGs. 6A-6C provide an example of how frames 300 _A and 300 _B would be correspond with wearer's torso 20 when worn and so positioned. In some embodiments, frames 300 _A and 300 _B may be of the same, or similar, dimensions but may be mirror images of one another and, in other embodiments, a size or shape of frame 300 _A may be different from a size or shape of frame 300 _B (and vise-versa) as may be needed or preferred when, for example, breast 15 _A is not the same size or shape as breast 15 _B or when a breast 15 _A and/or 15 _B has been removed (via, for example, mastectomy) or is being replaced or augmented with a prosthetic breast or other padding. [000102] A shape and/or intended position of frames 300 _A and 300 _B may serve to improve the comfort of wearing the respective frame and/or a support structure, casing, and/or garment including same. For example, frames 300 _A and 300 _B may redistribute breast weight to the wearer's torso and serve to increase the surface area of the wearer's body to which the breast weight is applied/redistributed, which thereby decreases the pressure applied to the wearer's skin/torso compared with traditional bras and bra-like garments.

[000103] As may be seen in FIG. 6A, inside edge 320 of intermammary-cleft portion 310 of frames 300 _A and 300 _B are positioned near, and approximately parallel to, sagittal plane center midline 25. In most cases, inside edge 320 of frames 300 _A and 300 _B will not touch one another when worn so as to, for example, provide flexibility for a garment into which frames 300 _A and 300 _B are included and/or enable the opening of the garment via, for example, a center closure device. However, in some cases, frames 300 _A and 300 _B may touch along inside edge 320 and/or be two sides of a single frame structure that is one piece, or multiple pieces coupled or bonded together via, for example, a flexible junction. In this way, frames 300 _A and 300 _B may be incorporated into a garment or bra that opens in the front, back, or doesn't open (e.g., is pulled on over the wearer's head).

[000104] Intermammary-cleft portions 310 of frames 300 _A and 300 _B , respectively, may be, for example, positioned along the vertical axis intersecting with line 40 or underneath a bottom portion of wearer's respective first and second breasts 15 _A and 15 _B . The intermammary-cleft portions 310 may serve to, for example, separate and/or shape wearer's respective first and second breasts 15 _A and 15 _B and a size and/or shape of under-bust band upper edge 340 may approximate a shape of the bottom portion of breasts 15 _A and/or 15 _B and/or an underside of breasts 15 _A and/or 15 _B and/or the wearer's inframammary fold surrounding breasts 15 _A and/or 15 _B . Intermammary-cleft portion 310 and/or under-bust band portion 330 may assist with (i.e., provide support for) a cantilevered volumetric cup portion proximate thereto as will be discussed in further detail below. [000105] FIG. 6C provides a lateral side view of wearer's first side 60 and first breast 15 _A , which shows an example of how wrap-around portion 345 may correspond to wearer's torso 20 under her arm (in FIG. 6C, a portion of wearer's arm has been removed so that the positioning of wrap-around portion 345 may be clearly seen). In the example of FIG. 6C, wrap-around portion 345 spans the width of the lateral side of wearer's torso and wraps around a portion of her posterior as shown in FIG. 6B. In this way, wraparound portion 345 may assist with (i.e., provide support for) a cantilevered volumetric cup portion proximate thereto as will be discussed in further detail below.

[000106] FIGs. 7A-7F provide front, back, outside, inside, top, and bottom views, respectively, of an exemplary support structure 700 that includes a frame 300 and a volumetric cup portion 710. In some embodiments, support structure 700 may be the same as and/or share characteristics with support structure(s) 505 and/or 506. Volumetric cup portion may be similar to volumetric cup portion 710 as discussed above with regard to FIGs. 5E and 5F. Volumetric cup portion 710 is proximate to under-bust band 330 along the curvature of upper edge of under-bust band 330 and abuts intermammary-cleft portion 310 along intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305 on the inner side and wrap-around portion 345 along wrap-around portion reference line 370. In some embodiments, a portion of under-bust band 330 and/or upper edge of under-bust band 330 may be shaped to approximate a shape of a wearer's inframammary fold as determined by, for example, sizing arc 560 as discussed above with regard to 5G. Additionally, or alternatively, a border and/or demarcation line between volumetric cup portion 710 and the frame 300 may be shaped to approximate a shape of a wearer's inframammary fold. In some instances, the boarder may have a curved or gradual transition between under-bust band 330 and volumetric cup portion 710. Additionally, or alternatively, the boarder between under- bust band 330 and/or upper edge of under-bust band 330 and volumetric cup portion 710 may be configured so that a portion thereof does not abut, or touch, a wearer's skin or breast 15 when worn. [000107] In some embodiments, an aspect of volumetric cup portion 710, under-bust band 330 and/or upper edge of under-bust band 330 (e.g., thickness of material and/or type of material used) may be different at, or near, the boarder between under-bust band 330 and/or upper edge of under- bust band 330 and volumetric cup portion 710. For example, a thickness of volumetric cup portion 710 under-bust band 330 and/or upper edge of under-bust band 330 may be greater at the border and/or demarcation between volumetric cup portion 710 and frame 300 than at an upper edge of the volumetric cup portion and/or a lower edge of under-bust band 330. Additionally, or alternatively, a thickness of volumetric cup portion 710 under- bust band 330 and/or upper edge of under-bust band 330 may be greater on a first side (e.g., at, or near, inframammary cleft portion 310) than on a second side (e.g., at, or near, wrap-around portion 345).

[000108] Volumetric cup portion 710 may be shaped, or configured, to define a lower portion of a substantially semi-spherical-like or parabolic-like shape that extends orthogonally, or substantially orthogonally, from the under-bust band 330. Volumetric cup portion 710 may be adapted to be positioned in an underside portion of a breast cup of a frame, casing, housing, garment, or other structure (not shown) and is shaped so as to accommodate acceptance of a portion of an underside of a breast, such as breast 15, therein.

[000109] In some instances, volumetric cup portion 710 is a cantilever anchored or supported by the frame 300 and/or a portion thereof. When volumetric cup portion 710 is subjected to a load via, for example, placement of a wearer's breast (or portion thereof) therein/thereon, frame 300, wrap-around portion 345, and/or under-bust band 330 may support that load and redistribute it to the wearer's torso 20 when support structure 700 is worn by a wearer 10. Volumetric cup portion 710 may also act to shape the wearer's breasts 15 in a desired fashion by repositioning breast volume to a preferred location (e.g., in toward the intermammary cleft, away from the intermammary cleft, upward (i.e., toward the wearer's head), outward, and/or inward). [0001 10] An upper edge of volumetric cup portion 710 may be of a uniform shape and/or may have one or more shapes, such as first curved upper edge 715 and second curved upper edge 720 along its length. It will be understood by those of skill in the art that other embodiments of volumetric cup portion 710 may have any number of edges or curves (e.g., a single edge (i.e., not a combination of first and second curved upper edges), or three curved edges). For example, in some embodiments, an upper edge of volumetric cup portion 710 may have a relatively uniformly curving edge while, in other embodiments, an upper edge of volumetric cup portion 710 may have repetitive arc or organic shapes that may act to interrupt a straight, or curved line along upper edge of volumetric cup portion 710. The features along upper edge of volumetric cup portion 710 may provide greater flexibility for support structure 700 by allowing the support structure 700 to flex and contour depending on, and/or in response to, for example, a weight of a breast, like breast 15A or 15B positioned within volumetric cup portion 710, and/or a movement of a wearer and/or breast when positioned within volumetric cup portion 710.

[0001 1 1] In some instances, upper edge of under-bust band 330 may be configured to sit, or abut, the wearer's torso 20 under her breast 15 _A or 15 _B (e.g., at, or near, her inframammary fold) and may be adapted to join with volumetric cup portion 710 to create cantilever projection in a shape that surrounds a portion of the breast tissue of breast 15 _A or 15 _B and shapes the breast tissue into a pre-determined volumetric cup shape as defined by the shape or contours of volumetric cup portion 710, upper edge of under-bust band 330, support structure 700, and/or frame 300 or a casing and/or housing like casing 1000 and/or housing 1400 as discussed below.

[0001 12] In some embodiments, upper edge of under-bust band 330 may create a shelf edge to contour the breast tissue into the shape of volumetric cup portion 710. Upper edge of under-bust band 330 may also serve as a junction point for the cantilever projection of volumetric cup portion 710 where the volumetric cup portion 710 joins under-bust band 330 and extends outward therefrom at an angle (e.g., 45°-160°). The magnitude of projection of volumetric cup portion 710 (i.e., how far volumetric cup portion 710 extends from under-bust band 330) may vary along the length of the upper edge of under-bust band 330. In some embodiments, a magnitude of projection may be at a maximum in the center of the volumetric cup portion 710 that may align, along the Y-axis, with an apex of volumetric cup portion 710 and/or a desired apex of the wearer's breasts when wearing support structure 700. Additionally, or alternatively, a magnitude of how far cantilever projection of volumetric cup portion 710 extends from under-bust band 330 may be at maximum at, or near, a lowest point in the curvature of the upper edge of under-bust band 330. The amount of projection of volumetric cup portion 710 may gradually decrease (to e.g., zero, or nearly zero) along its length moving toward wrap-around portion 345 and/or intermammary-cleft portion 310 at, or near, wrap-around portion reference line 370 and/or intermammary-cleft portion 310 at, or near, intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305, respectively. Stated differently, a magnitude of cantilever projection of volumetric cup portion 710 from under-bust band 330 may blend into one another at wrap-around portion 345 so they form a planar surface at, or near, wrap-around portion reference line 370 for wrap-around portion 345 and/or the volumetric cup portion 710 and under-bust band 330 blend into one another into so they form a planar surface at, or near, intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305. This tapering may increase the comfort of wearing support structure 700 and/or a casing or housing including a support structure 700 at least because it may position the breast tissue forward in volumetric cup portion 710 while, in some instances, removing/reducing friction between the wearer's lateral side (under her arm) and/or breast (when for example, compared with a traditional under-wire bra).

1 13] In some embodiments, an angle between volumetric cup portion 710 and the upper edge of under-bust band 330 may be consistent along its length. In other embodiments, the angle between volumetric cup portion 710 and the upper edge of under-bust band 330 may very along its length so that, for example, a magnitude of the angle is at a minimum at, or near, a lowest point in the curvature of the upper edge of under-bust band 330 and gradually increases along its length moving toward wrap-around portion 345 (e.g., wrap-around portion reference line 370) and/or intermammary-cleft portion 310 (e.g., intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305) to become close to 180° so that the cantilever projection of volumetric cup portion 710 may gradually taper into wrap-around portion 345 and/or intermammary-cleft portion 310 at, or near, wrap-around portion reference line 370 and/or intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305, respectively. Stated differently, volumetric cup portion 710 and under-bust band 330 blend into one another at wrap-around portion 345 so they form a planar surface at, or near, wrap-around portion reference line 370 for wrap-around portion 345 and/or the volumetric cup portion 710 and under-bust band 330 blend into one another so they form a planar surface at, or near, intermammary-cleft portion reference line 305 as may be seen in FIG. 7B, 7C, and 7D. This tapering may increase the comfort of wearing support structure 700 and/or a casing or housing including a support structure 700 at least because it will position the breast tissue forward in volumetric cup portion 710 but removes/reduces friction and/or pressure points between the wearer's lateral side (under her arm) and/or breast (when for example, compared with a traditional under-wire bra).

[0001 14] In some embodiments, an interior side of a lower edge of volumetric cup portion 710 (or a portion thereof) may not be aligned with an exterior side of lower edge of volumetric cup portion 710 (or a portion thereof). For example, a portion of an interior side of lower edge of volumetric cup portion 710 may be higher or lower than a portion of an exterior side lower edge of volumetric cup portion 710. This arrangement may be advantageous when, for example, it is desired to push breast tissue upwards or achieve a desired silhouetted for the wearer's breasts when wearing support structure 700.

[0001 15] In most embodiments, a curvature, or shape, of upper edge of under- bust band 330, or the shelf created therewith, transitions from the front most part of inframammary cleft portion 310 to the wrap-around portion 345, which is configured to align with the wearer's lateral side when worn. The contour of this shelf may be most prominent (i.e., extend the furthest outward) at, or near, a portion of the volumetric cup portion 710 configured to align (along the Y-axis) with an apex of the wearer's breast tissue and/or near the center under-bust band 330 as measured as the midpoint between inframammary cleft portion reference line 305 and wrap around portion reference line 370 to create a ridge that transitions (or decreases in size) by gradually blending into wrap around portion 345 at a mid-point height of support structure 700. The wrap-around portion 345 may be configured to contour the breast shape into the volumetric cup portion 710 and, in some instances, may be adapted to minimize friction between the wearer's torso 20 and/or breast 15 _A or 15 _B and at, or near, wrap around portion reference line 370 by way of, for example, a ridge, or shelf, gradually blending into the wrap-around portion 345 so that it is flush, or planar, with the plane of the wrap-around portion 345.

[0001 16] In the embodiment pictured in FIGs. 7A-7F, first curved upper edge 715 extends from peak 725 downward in a curved c-shaped fashion and meets second curved upper edge 720 at, or near, an apex of volumetric cup portion on the Z-axis. In some embodiments, a material used to manufacture volumetric cup portion 710 may be the same as the material used to manufacture frame 300. When different materials are used, a more-rigid material (e.g., plastic) may be used for frame 300 and a less-rigid material (e.g., thinner plastic and/or foam) may be used for volumetric cup portion 710.

[0001 17] In some instances, support structure 700 and/or frame 300 may include two or more pieces joined together via, for example, chemical, mechanical, or heat bonding processes. Additionally, or alternatively, support structure 700 and/or frame 300 may be coupled together via mechanical means. Joints between two or more pieces that make up a support structure 700 and/or a frame 300 and/or join together a frame 300 and a support structure 700 may be flexible via, for example, use of a flexible joining material and/or a structure of frame 300 and/or support structure 700 and, in other instances, the joints may be rigid via, for example, use of a rigid joining material and/or a structure of frame 300 and/or support structure 700. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more joints may vary in thickness when compared with surrounding material comprising support structure 700, under-bust band 330, and/or volumetric cup portion 710. This variation in thickness may be configured to provide flexibility to, for example, support structure 700, under-bust band 330, and/or volumetric cup portion 710. Additional flexibility may be created via the use of multiple joints throughout the frame 300 or volumetric cup portion 710. The flexibility may be configured accommodate a change in breast size and/or volume that may be caused by, for example, hormonal or weight fluctuations or movement by, for example, expanding and/or contracting of frame 300, support structure 700, and/or joints therebetween.

01 18] In other embodiments, a material used to manufacture both frame 300 and volumetric cup portion 710 may be the same throughout, but a thickness of the material may be different. In this embodiment, a thickness of frame 300 may be greater than that of volumetric cup portion 710 and/or a thickness of material used to manufacture support structure 700 may be thickest at, or near, under-bust band upper edge 340 and may get increasingly thinner as under-bust band extends toward under-bust-band lower edge 335 and volumetric-cup-portion upper first and/or second curved upper edges 715 and/or 720. Additionally, or alternatively, an outer side (e.g., near wrap around portion reference line 370) of volumetric cup portion 710 may be thicker and/or stiffer or more rigid than other portions of support structure 700 and/or frame 300 to support the weight of a breast 15 _A or 15 _B and, in some instances, reposition breast volume toward a front portion of volumetric cup portion 710 near, for example, an apex (along, for example, the Z-axis) or center of volumetric cup portion 710. Stated differently, the outer portion of volumetric cup portion 710 may be configured to push, or otherwise reposition, breast volume located at the side of breast 15 _A or 15 _B when, for example, no bra is worn toward the center of the wearer's chest, or center vertical midline 25, thereby repositioning breast volume toward the center of the wearer's body and away from her sides (i.e., away from vertical midline 50). In this example, the relative thinness of a front portion of volumetric cup portion 710 when compared with the thickness of the side may be configured to provide flexibility to the support structure. In some instances, variations in a thickness of support structure 700 and/or frame 300 may be responsive to a wearer's breast volume, mass, and/or size. Additionally, or alternatively, a volumetric cup portion 710 and frame 300 may comprise material of differing thickness and/or structure depending on, for example, the wearer's cup volume and/or desired breast volume displacement.

[0001 19] Exemplary garments that may incorporate support structure 700 include, but are not limited to, bras, sports bras, compression bras, bralettes, corsets, bustiers, camisoles, swimsuits, sports tops, shirts, and dresses. Although FIGs. 7A-7F show a support structure 700 designed to be worn on breast 15 _B , it will be understood that the support structure 700, and/or the dimensions or manufacturing instructions used to manufacture support structure 700, may be adapted to correspond to the wearer's breast 15 _A by, for example, using a mirror image of the dimensions used to manufacture support structure 700. In some embodiments, support structure 700 may be used to, for example, establish dimensions for, and/or a shape of, a support structure that may be adaptable to many (e.g., 4-40) different sizes via, for example, scaling up or down one or more dimensions thereof.

[000120] Holes or openings present in support structure 700 and/or frame 300 (as shown in FIGs. 3A-3D, 7A-7F) are optional and, in some instances may not be included in an exemplary support structure 700 and/or frame 300. The holes or openings may serve to, for example, provide ventilation, decrease weight, improve flexibility, and so on. The holes or openings provided in frame 300 and/or support structure 700 may be of any shape or size. The holes or openings provided in frame 300 and/or support structure 700 may be made by any appropriate process including, but not limited to, injection molds that include the holes, and/or punching, cutting, and/or stamping out material and/or may be part of the manufacturing process using, for example, 3D printing or the overlay of materials with perforations or openings therebetween. The placement of holes/openings throughout support structure 700 and frame 300 shown in FIGs. 3A-3D and 7A-7F is just one example of how holes/openings may be placed throughout support structure 700 and frame 300. For example, the holes or perforations provided throughout support structure 700 and frame 300 may be arranged in a regular pattern (e.g., a grid-like pattern) and/or may be spaced so as to concentrate rigidity (i.e., less holes) in areas of the support structure 700 and/or frame 300 configured to bear more breast weight, such as in wrap around portion 345 or upper edge of under-bust band 330. Additionally, or alternatively, holes or perforations provided throughout support structure 700 and frame 300 may be arranged in areas of the support structure 700 and/or frame 300 configured to bear less breast weight and provide flexibility via, for example, the use of more holes, in areas of the support structure 700 and/or frame 300 configured to bear less breast weight, such as near intermammary cleft portion 310 or first curved upper edge 715. Additionally, or alternatively, the holes may be of various sizes so that, for example, greater rigidity may be achieved through the use of relatively small holes and greater flexibility may be achieved by the use of regularly large holes.

[000121] Support structure 700 may be made from any appropriate material including, but not limited to, plastic, foam, resin, metal, metal wire, plastic wire, and combinations thereof. Exemplary plastics that may be used to manufacture the frame include, but are not limited to, PVC, thermoset plastics, and thermoplastics such as TPR, TPU, or TPE, all of which may be used in varying grades and durometers.

[000122] In some embodiments, a thickness of a support structure 700 and/or frame 300 may be uniform throughout the respective support structure/frame and, in other embodiments, a thickness of a support structure 700 and/or frame 300 may vary in different part(s) of the respective support structure/frame. For example, a support structure 700 and/or frame 300 may be thicker in areas where greater rigidity/support is desired and may be thinner in areas where greater flexibility/less support is desired. For instance, a material making up a region of a support structure 700 positioned at, or near, a junction between volumetric cup portion 710 and under-bust band 330 may be thicker than the material making up a region of support structure 700 along first curved upper edge 715 and/or second curved upper edge 720. An exemplary range of thickness for a support structure 700 and/or frame 300 is 0.01 mm-20mm. In some cases, the thickness and/or range of thicknesses of a particular frame/support structure may depend on the overall size of the support structure 700 and/or a casing or garment the support structure is designed to fit into. For example, a support structure 700 adapted to be worn by a wearer with relatively large breasts 15 (e.g., of a large size) may have a thicker cross-sectional dimension than a support structure 700 adapted to be worn by a wearer with relatively small breasts 15.

[000123] FIG. 7B shows an interior view of support structure 700. This view illustrates the gradual transition between under-bust band upper edge 340 and the lower edge of volumetric cup portion 710, which is a curved, or gradual, transition along under-bust band upper edge 340. In some embodiments, this transition may be adapted to abut the inframammary fold of wearer 10 when worn and, in this way may support the wearer's breast tissue from underneath as a cantilever projection. In other embodiments, this transition may be coincident with inframammary fold of wearer 10 (e.g., inframammary fold 555) but may sit above it (i.e., the curvature of the transition may approximate the curvature of the inframammary fold of wearer 10 but may not touch the wearer's 10 skin). This may be preferred in situations when wearer 10 would prefer the skin and tissue located at, or near, the inframammary fold of wearer 10 not be touched or that pressure not be exerted thereon. Having the transition sit above the inframammary fold of wearer 10, may, in some instances, make movement of the wearer easier and may reduce fatigue that may have otherwise been induced by wearing support structure 700.

[000124] It will be seen in FIGs. 7A-7F, that a shape of support structure 700 is consistent with arc 375 in that the shape of volumetric cup portion 710 conforms to the shape of arc 375 so that it wraps around a wearer in a manner consistent with frame 300.

[000125] FIG. 8A provides an anterior view of wearer 10 wearing a support structure 700 _A on first breast 15 _A and a support structure 700 _B on second breast 15 _B positioned on the wearer's second anterior side 65. Support structure 700 _A includes frame 300 _A and volumetric cup portion 71 OA and support structure 700 _B includes frame 300 _B and volumetric cup portion 710B. FIG. 8A provides one example of relative dimensions of support structures 700 _A and 700 _B to wearer's torso 20 and breasts 15A and 15B. It is expected that wearer 10 will wear support structures 700 _A and 700 _B , when they are positioned within a casing, housing, and/or garment (not shown) and FIG. 8A provides an example of how support structures 700 _A and 700 _B , would correspond with wearer's torso 20 and breasts 15A and 15B when so positioned.

[000126] In some embodiments, support structures 700 _A and 700 _B may be of the same or similar dimensions and, in many instances, will be mirror images of one another. In other embodiments, a size or shape of support structure 700 _A may be different from a size or shape of support structure 700 _B (and vise-versa) as may be needed or preferred when, for example, breast 15 _A is not the same size or shape as breast 15 _B or when a breast 15 _A and/or 15 _B has been removed (via, for example, mastectomy).

[000127] As may be seen in FIG. 8A, volumetric cup portion 710 of support structures 700 _A and 700 _B , respectively, partially covers a bottom, or underside, of wearer's respective first and second breasts 15 _A and 15 _B with the junction between first curved upper edge 715 and second curved upper edge 720 positioned in line with the wearer's nipples but not extending up the first and second breasts 15 _A and 15 _B far enough to cover the nipples. In this way, the volumetric cup portions 710 of support structures 700 _A and 700 _B , respectively, may cover 5-40% of a lower portion of an exterior surface of each respective breast 15. In some instances, volumetric cup portions 71 OA and 710B may act as shelf or cantilever upon which a portion of the wearer's respective first and second breasts 15 _A and 15 _B may rest and be supported as may be seen in FIGs. 8A and 8B.

[000128] FIG. 8B provides a side view of wearer 10 wearing support structure 700 _A , wherein wrap-around portion 345 _A extends approximately to the vertical midline 50 (as opposed to through vertical midline 50 and around to wearer's posterior as shown in FIGs. 6B and 6C) as may be more appropriate when, for example, respective first and second breasts 15 _A and 15 _B are relatively small and thereby do not require as much support for the cantilever of volumetric cup portion 710 to support the wearer's breast weight. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the configuration of wrap-around portions 345A shown in FIG. 8B may be appropriate for a wearer with relatively large breasts 15A and 15B so that the support for the cantilever projection of volumetric cup portions 71 OA and 710B may be provided closer to the cantilever projection/breasts (as opposed to around her back).

[000129] FIGs. 9A-9C provide images of wearer 10 wearing a set of support structures 700 _c and 700 _D on her respective first and second breasts 15 _A and 15 _B . Support structures 700 _c and 700 _D are larger and cover more of the wearer's torso 20 and breasts 15 _A and 15 _B than support structures 700 _A and 700 _B as shown in FIGs. 8A and 8B. The example of FIGs. 9A-20C provides one example of relative dimensions of support structures 700 _c and 700 _D to wearer's torso 20. It is expected that wearer 10 will wear support structures 700 _c and 700 _D when they are positioned within a casing, housing, and/or garment (not shown) and FIGs. 9A-20C provide an example of how support structures 700 _c and 700 _D would correspond to wearer's torso 20 when so positioned.

[000130] As may be seen in FIG. 9A, volumetric cup portion 710 of support structures 700 _c and 700 _D , respectively, covers a bottom, or underside, of wearer's respective first and second breasts 15 _A and 15 _B with the junction between first curved upper edge 715 and second curved upper edge 720 for each of support structures 700 _c and 700 _D positioned above the wearer's 10 nipples and extending up the breasts to cover the nipples. In this way, the volumetric cup portions 710 of support structures 700 _c and 700 _D , respectively, may cover 20-80% of a lower portion of an exterior surface of wearer's respective first and second breasts 15 _A and 15 _B . Support structures 700 _c and 700 _D also cover a side of wearer's first and second breasts 15 _A and 15 _B , which may act to reposition breast volume to provide a desired breast shape or silhouette for breast tissue by, for example, pushing breast tissue towards the sagittal plane center midline 25 and/or providing a rounded shape for breast tissue to be positioned in.

[000131] FIG. 9B provides a side view of wearer 10 wearing support structure 700 _c , wherein wrap-around portion 345 _c extends through vertical midline 50 and wraps around the wearer's lateral side to her posterior as may be appropriate when, for example, respective first breast 15 _A is relatively large and/or wearer 10 is relatively large and thereby requires relatively more support for the cantilever of volumetric cup portion 710 to support the wearer's breast weight than for the wearer 10 shown in FIGs. 7A and 7B. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the configuration of wrap-around portions of volumetric cup portions 71 OA and 710B shown in FIGs. 9A-9C may be appropriate for a wearer with relatively small breasts 15A and 15B so that the support for the cantilever projection of volumetric cups 710C and 710D may be spread out over a wider area of wearer's torso.

[000132] FIG. 9C provides a view of wearer's posterior side with wrap-around portions 345 _c and 345 _D extending around wearer's 10 lateral side to her posterior side. As may be seen in FIG. 9C, wrap-around portions 345 _c and 345 _D extend across a portion of wearer's posterior side but do not touch one another or extend to sagittal plane center midline 25. The amount wraparound portions 345 _c and 345 _D extend across a portion of wearer's 10 posterior may be dependent upon various factors including, but not limited to, torso circumference, breast volume, breast mass, torso shape, torso girth, and the wearer's mass. Although the wrap-around portion outside edge 350 for both wrap-around portions 345 _c and 345 _D is shown as a straight line that is substantially parallel with sagittal plane center midline 25, this need not be the case as this edge may be oriented at an angle or have a rounded (e.g., semi-circular or oval-like) or irregular shape. [000133] FIGs. 10A-10F provide images of an exemplary three-dimensional casing 1000. More particularly, FIG. 10A provides a front plan view of casing 1000, FIG. 10B provides back plan view of casing 1000, FIG. 10C provides an inside view of casing 1000, FIG. 10D provides an outside plan view of casing 1000, FIG. 10E provides a top view of casing 1000, and FIG. 10F provides a bottom view of casing 1000. Casing 1000 includes an indentation line 1010, a wrap-around portion 1015, an end-of-indentation line 1020, an upper edge 1025, an apex 1030, a lower edge 1035, an inside edge 1040, a volumetric cup 1045, an outer edge 1050, an under-bust band 1055, and an apex of the curvature of the upper edge 1060.

[000134] Features of casing 1000 may correspond with, and/or align to, a frame and/or support structure, such as frame 300 and/or the support structure(s) described herein as may be encased/included therein. For example, indentation line 1010 may correspond with under-bust band upper edge 340 and/or a curvature thereof and end-of-indentation line 1020 may correspond with wrap-around portion reference line 370.

[000135] When casing 1000 is held in an upright position (as shown in FIGs.

10A-10D), the under-bust band 1055 is configured/adapted to be oriented substantially along the X-axis in a manner substantially perpendicular to a sagittal plane center midline of a wearer (when worn), such as sagittal plane center midline 25 of wearer 10. Under-bust band 1055 extends from the inside edge 1040 along lower edge 1035 underneath indentation line 1010 until end-of-indentation line 1020.

[000136] Wrap-around portion 1015 may begin at, or near, end-of-indentation line 1020 and extend away from volumetric cup 1045 toward outer edge 1050 thereby forming wrap-around portion 1015. The size and shape of wrap-around portion 1015 may mimic the size and shape of an encased frame's and/or support structure's wrap-around portion 350. End-of- indentation line 1020 is a vertical reference line superimposed on the depictions shown in of FIGs. 10A-10F to indicate where indentation line 1010 ends and wrap-around portion 1015 begins. Volumetric cup 1045 may have similar characteristics to volumetric cup portion 710 and may be designed to contain and/or cover, for example, 25%, 50%, 75%, 80%, 90%, 95% and/or 100% of a wearer's breast inserted therein. An amount of breast volume contained by volumetric cup 1045 may be dependent upon the overall size and/or shape of volumetric cup 1045 which, in turn, may be based upon a shape or curvature of upper edge 1025 as well as a distance between an apex 1030 and under-bust band 1055.

[000137] Volumetric cup 1045 may have an apex 1030, which corresponds to an outer most point of the volumetric spherical-like shape of volumetric cup 1045 and a positioning of apex 1030 may correspond with a desired apex of the wearer's breast tissue when she is wearing casing 1000, which in some instances, may correspond with a position of a wearer's nipple (when the wearer's breast is repositioned within the volumetric cup 1045). In the embodiment of FIGs. 10A-10F, the upper edge 1025 of casing 1000 is curved so that a position of apex 1030 along the Y-axis approximately corresponds with an apex of the curvature of the upper edge 1060 along the Y-axis. However, this correspondence is not required and, in some instances, may not be preferred.

[000138] FIG. 10B provides a back view of casing 1000. End of indentation line 1010 marks the transition between under-bust band 1055 and volumetric cup 1045. As shown in FIG. 10B, a positioning of end of indentation line 1010 on the back of casing 1000 aligns with (i.e., matches) a positioning of end of indentation line 1010 on the front of casing 1000 but this need not always be the case. For example, in some embodiments, a portion of end-of- indentation line 1020 on the interior of casing 1000 may not align with a portion of end-of-indentation line 1020 on the exterior of casing 1000. For example, a portion of end-of-indentation line 1020 on the interior of casing 1000 may be higher than the position of end-of-indentation line on the exterior of casing 1000 as may be the case when, for example, a bottom of volumetric cup portion 1045 includes padding and/or when an interior side of under-bust band upper edge 340 is not aligned with an exterior side of under-bust band upper edge 340. In instances, this lack of alignment may be used to achieve a desired silhouette of the wearer's breasts. [000139] FIG. 10C provides a first side view of casing 1000 and FIG. 10D provides a second side view of casing 1000, both of which show how the three-dimensional volumetric cup 1045 extends in the X, Y, and Z directions relative to under-bust band 1055 to apex 1030. FIGs. 10C and 10D show a relative distance between apex 1030 and inside edge 1040 as well as a relative distance between apex 1030 and outer edge 1050. Further information regarding these relative distances is provided with regard to the discussion of FIGs. 10E and 10F. FIGs. 10C and 10D show the curved shape of upper casing edge 1025 as it curves downward from apex of the curvature of the upper edge 1060 and extends outward to form the upper edge of the wrap-around portion 1015. This shape of upper casing edge 1025 may serve to define a shape of wrap around portion 1015 that supports the cantilever projection of volumetric cup 1045 while avoiding wearer's 10 sensitive armpit region when worn. FIGs. 10C and 10D also show the upward curvature of the lower edge of under-bust band 1055 so that it tapers upward as it approaches outer edge 1050.

[000140] FIG. 10E provides a top-side view of casing 1000 and FIG. 10F provides a bottom-side view of casing 1000, both of which show a curvature of the lower edge of casing 1000, and of casing 1000 in general, in the X-Y plane as viewed from above and below, respectively. As may be seen in both FIGs. 10E and 10F, a curvature of casing 1000 as a whole as well as casing's 1000 lower edge, under-bust band 1035, and wrap-around portion 1015 may approximate a curvature of a wearer's torso 20 and/or arc 375.

[000141] The images of FIGs. 10E and 10F have a Cartesian grid superimposed thereon which show relative dimensions for casing 1000 along an X- and Y- axis, wherein a unit of measure along the Y-axis is denoted as "Y" and a unit of measure along the X-axis is denoted as "X". An exemplary range of values for "X" is 0.8cm-30cm and an exemplary range of values for "Y" is 0.8cm- 30cm. In FIGs. 10E and 10F, it can be seen that an exterior edge of volumetric cup 1045 has a substantially parabola-like shape that spreads wider toward the inside edge 1040 and outer edge 1050. The exterior edge of volumetric cup 1045 primarily occupies the third and fourth quadrants of the grid with the portion of the exterior edge of volumetric cup 1045 closest to the interior edge 1040 being in the third quadrant and the portion of the volumetric cup 1045 closest to the outer edge 1050 being in the fourth quadrant. With relative dimensions, the apex 1030 aligns with -Y on the Y- axis and 0 on the X-axis. Inside edge 1040 aligns with 0 on the Y-axis and - X on the X-axis. A position of end-of-indentation line 1020 aligns with 1 .5X on the X-axis and approximately 0.25Y on the Y-axis. Wrap-around portion begins approximately at end-of-indentation line 1020 and extends to outer edge 1050, which is positioned at 2X on the X-axis and 2Y on the Y-axis.

[000142] FIG. 10F shows casing 1000 rotated 180° along the Y-axis so that the bottom side of casing 1000 is shown and the Cartesian axis superimposed thereon is in the reverse orientation of FIG. 10E so that it is consistent with the positions along the X- and Y-axis defined with regard to FIG. 10E. As may be seen in FIG. 10F, a portion of lower edge 1035 that corresponds with the apex 1030 of the volumetric cup 1045 along the Y-axis (X=0) aligns with - .3Y along the Y-axis, the inside edge 1040 is aligned with -X along the X-axis and 0 along the Y-axis, and the outer edge 1050 is aligned with 2Y and 2X. Also, shown in FIG. 10F is the curvature of an arc of lower edge 1035 along the entirety of casing's 1000 lower edge. Traveling along the line of the curvature of arc from inside edge 1040 to outer edge 1050, the curvature of this arc has approximate dimensions at inside edge 1040 of a magnitude X on the X-axis and a magnitude of 0 on the Y-axis. When the magnitude of X on the X-axis equals 0, the magnitude of Y on the Y-axis is approximately 0.25Y. When the magnitude of Y on the Y-axis equals 0, the magnitude of X on the X-axis is X. As arc 375 extends toward outer edge 1050, the magnitude of Y on the Y-axis is 2Y and the magnitude of Y on the Y-axis is 2Y.

[000143] FIG. 1 1 provides a front view of an additional exemplary casing 1 100.

Casing 1 100 includes an indentation line 1 1 10, a wrap-around portion 1 1 15, an end-of-indentation line 1 120, an upper edge 1 125, an apex 1 130, a lower edge 1 135, an inside edge 1 140, a volumetric cup 1 145, an outer edge 1 150, and an under-bust band 1 155. [000144] Features of casing 1 100 may correspond with and/or align to a frame and/or support structure, such as frame 300 and/or the support structure(s) disclosed herein that may be encased/included therein and may be similar to features of casing 1000. For example, indentation line 1 1 10 may correspond with under-bust band upper edge 340 and/or a curvature thereof and end-of- indentation line 1 120 may correspond with wrap-around portion reference line 370.

[000145] Volumetric cup 1 145 may be similar to volumetric cup 1045 and/or a volumetric cup portion 710 encased therein. However, the overall size of volumetric cup 1 145 is larger for casing 1 100 than casing 1000 and has a different shape, particularly along the upper edge 1 125. For example, a relative distance between lower edge 1 135 and upper edge 1 125 of casing 1 100 is larger than a relative distance between lower edge 1035 and upper edge 1025 of casing 1000. In addition, a width of under-bust band 1 130 is larger than a width of under-bust band 1055. A casing such as casing 1 100 may be preferred when compared with casing 1000 when, for example, the wearer's breasts are relatively large and/or the wearer has a relatively high body mass index.

[000146] Volumetric cup 1 145 may be designed to contain and/or cover, for example, 25%, 50%, 75%, 80%, 90%, 95% and/or 100% of a wearer's breast inserted therein. An amount of breast volume contained by volumetric cup 1 145 may be dependent upon the overall size of volumetric cup 1 145, which, in turn, may be based upon a shape, or curvature of upper edge 1 125. Volumetric cup 1 145 may have an apex 1 130, which corresponds to an outer most point of the volumetric spherical shape of volumetric cup 1 145 along the Z-axis and a positioning of apex 1 130 may correspond with a desired apex of the wearer's breast tissue, which in some instances, may correspond with a position of a wearer's nipple (when the wearer's breast is repositioned within the volumetric cup 1 145).

[000147] Volumetric cup(s) 1045 and/or 1 145 may displace breast tissue across different sizes of wearers and breasts differently so as to provide appropriate breast weight support and/or shaping across a range of wearer and/or breast sizes. In some instances, the apex of volumetric cup(s) 1045 and/or 1 145 may not correspond a wearer's natural breast apex (as seen when she is not wearing a bra, or clothes) but to force it into a predetermined/desired apex position. This displacement of breast tissue may be achieved via a shape of volumetric cup 1045 and/or 1 145 and/or volume placement within the volumetric cup(s) 1045 and/or 1 145, and/or a thickness and/or durometer of materials used to manufacture volumetric cup(s) 1045 and/or 1 145.

[000148] An interior of volumetric cup(s) 1045 and/or 1 145 may be adapted so that when they sit against the body/breasts of the wearer 10, they contour around the volumetric cup portion 710 and the under-bust band 330 to create a shape that surrounds the breast tissue and shapes the tissue into a pre-determined and/or volumetric cup shape. In some instances, under-bust band 330 and/or volumetric cup portion 710 may create a shelf edge to contour, or guide, breast tissue inserted therein into a shape of volumetric cup portion 710 and/or volumetric cup(s) 1045 and/or 1 145.

[000149] Casings 1000 and/or 1 100 may act to provide padding or other cushioning for frame 300 and/or support structures disclosed herein so as to, for example, increase the comfort of wearing same. Additionally, or alternatively, casings 1000 and/or 1 100 may be adapted to reduce breast motion of breasts included therein by the use of, for example, motion dampening materials like foam or memory foam.

[000150] FIGs. 12A-12F provide images of exemplary systems 1200 of casing 1000 with an exemplary support structure 700 encased therein. More specifically, FIG. 12A shows a front plan view of system 1200, which includes casing 1000 with support structure 700 inserted/encased therein and shows how support structure 700 fits within casing 1000. FIG. 12B shows a back side view of system 1200, FIG. 12C shows a first side view of system 1200, FIG. 12D shows a second side view of system 1200, FIG. 12E shows a top side view of system 1200, and FIG. 12F shows a bottom side view of system 1200. More specifically, FIGs. 12A-12F show how features of support structure 700 and/or frame 300 align with and/or are encased by casing 1000 so that, for example, volumetric cup portion 710 is positioned within a lower portion of volumetric cup 1045, upper edge of lower bust band 330 aligns with end-of-indentation line 1020, wrap-around portion reference line 370 aligns with end-of-indentation line 1020, and so on. In some embodiments, a feature of support structure 700 and/or frame 300 may not align with the features of casing 1000 within an alternative system 1200. For example, an exterior end-of-indentation line 1020 may not align with under-bust band upper edge 340.

[000151] FIGs. 13A-13C provide images of wearer 10 wearing a set of casings 1000A and 1000B on her respective first and second breasts 15 _A and 15 _B . In some instances, casings 1000A and/or 1000B may be a system like system 1200. Casings 1000A and 1000B cover nearly all of breasts 15 _A and 15 _B . The example of FIGs. 13A-13C provides one example of relative dimensions of casings 1000A and 1000B to wearer's torso 20 and breasts 15A and 15B. It is expected that wearer 10 will wear casings 1000A and 1000B when they are positioned within, and/or attached to, a housing, and/or garment (not shown) and FIGs. 13A-13C provide an example of how casings 1000A and 1000B would correspond to wearer's torso 20 when so positioned. In some embodiments, casings 1000A and 1000B may be positioned within a housing like housing 1400 as discussed below. In other embodiments, a housing may include a band, or other mechanism (e.g., clasp, fabric, etc.) that connects the outer edges 1050 casings 1000A and 1000B and/or inside edges 1040 of casings 1000A and 1000B with no fabric or other material overlaid on casings 1000A and 1000B.

[000152] Casings 1000A and 1000B also cover a side of wearer's first and second breasts 15 _A and 15 _B , which may act to reposition breast volume to provide a desired breast shape or silhouette for breast tissue by, for example, pushing breast tissue towards the sagittal plane center midline 25 and/or providing a rounded shape for breast tissue to be positioned in.

[000153] FIG. 13B provides a side view of wearer 10 wearing casing 1000A, wherein wrap-around portion 1015 extends through the vertical midline 50 and wraps around the wearer's lateral side to her posterior as may be appropriate when, for example, respective first and second breasts 15 _A and 15 _B are relatively large and/or wearer 10 is relatively large and thereby requires relatively more support for the cantilever of volumetric cup portion 710 to support the wearer's breast weight than for a smaller wearer 10 with a lower breast weight.

[000154] FIG. 13C provides a view of wearer's posterior side with wrap-around portions 1015A and 1015B extending around wearer's lateral side to her posterior. As may be seen in FIG. 13C, wrap-around portions 1015A and 1015B extend across a portion of wearer's posterior by do not touch one another or extend to sagittal plane center midline 25. However, in some instances, a relative distance between wrap-around portions 1015A and 1015B may vary depending on, for example, the girth and shape of wearer 10 as discussed above with regard to FIG. 15A-5F. Although the wrap-around portion outside edge for both wrap-around portions 1015A and 1015B is shown as a straight line that is substantially parallel with sagittal plane center midline 25, this need not be the case as this edge may be oriented at an angle or have a rounded (e.g., semi-circular or oval-like) shape.

[000155] The frames and/or support structure disclosed herein may be encased, enclosed, and/or covered with one or more casings or portions thereof and, in many embodiments, features of a casing may correspond with and/or align to a frame and/or support structure encased/included therein. In some instances, a casing acts to provide a full volumetric cup for a breast cup of a bra or similar garment. A casing described herein may serve to increase the comfort of wearing a frame, such as frame 300, a support structure such as support structure(s) 505, 506, 700, 1500, 1501 , and/or 1502 by surrounding the frame and/or support structure with softer, more flexible, materials because the material comprising casing will typically be more flexible than the material of a frame or support structure housed therein. The casings disclosed herein may also provide a smooth silhouette when worn under another garment (e.g., shirt or dress). The casing may be included in a garment, such as a dress, blouse, bathing suit, or camisole and, in other instances the casing may be housed in a brassiere or bustier. [000156] The casings disclosed herein may be made from any appropriate material including, but not limited to, plastic, foam, fabric, rubber, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a casing may be made from thermoset plastics, thermoplastics, polyurethane foam, viscoelastic foam, latex foam, under-bust bander foam, open cell foam, closed cell foam, Evlon foam, microfiber fabrics, natural fiber fabrics, synthetic fabrics, and/or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, a thickness of a casing may be uniform throughout the casing and, in other embodiments, a thickness of a casing may vary in different parts of the casing. For example, a casing may be thicker in areas where greater rigidity/support is desired and may be thinner in areas where greater flexibility/less support is desired. For instance, a material making up a region of a casing positioned underneath a breast cup may be thicker that the material making up a region of the casing at the top of the breast cup. A typical range of thickness of material for a casing 1000 is 0.5mm-20mm.

[000157] Although casings disclosed herein comprise a single piece, this need not be the case. For example, a casing may include two or more pieces that are coupled together via, for example, a flexible or rigid bond induced via, for example, a chemical or mechanical bonding process. In some instances, joints between two or more pieces that make up a casing may be flexible and, in the casings disclosed herein may be a solid structure (e.g., no holes, or openings) or may have openings or holes placed throughout. These holes or openings may be made by, for example, punching, cutting, and/or stamping out material and/or may be part of the manufacturing process using, for example, 3D printing or the overlay of materials to create perforations or openings. The openings may serve to increase, for example, the flexibility and/or breathability of the casing and/or decrease its weight. This variation in thickness may be configured to provide flexibility to, for example, support structure 700, under-bust band 330, and/or volumetric cup portion 710 and, in some instances, may be configured accommodate a change in breast size and/or volume by, for example, expanding and/or contracting. Another example may be multiple joints throughout frame 300 or volumetric cup portion 710 in varying thickness to allow for additional flexibility.

[000158] A frame and/or support structure such as frame 300 and/or support structure 700 may be affixed to, encased, or otherwise coupled with a casing via any appropriate means including, but not limited to, a flexible or rigid bond induced via, for example, sewing and/or a chemical or mechanical bonding process and/or inserting the frame or support structure into a pocket or opening in the casing and then closing the pocket (via, e.g., sewing, heat bonding, etc.). In some instances, the frame, support structure, and/or casing may be printed using 3D printing techniques as separate components and then assembled and, in other instances, the frame, support structure, and/or casing 1000 may be simultaneously printed as one piece or interlocking pieces via, for example, a 3D printing process.

[000159] In some embodiments, a casing, and/or frame or support structure included therein may be rigid enough to be self-supporting (i.e., maintain its shape without the application of an external force) yet may be flexible enough to bend or flex upon application by an outside force as may be applied when wearer puts on, or takes off, a garment including the respective casing, frame, and/or support structure. In some cases, an outside force may be applied and/or maintained by a housing for the casing, frame, and/or support structure may act to abut, or otherwise conform, the casing, frame, and/or support structure to a wearer's torso 20. In these cases, the overall shape of casing, frame, and/or support structure will remain the same as when the garment is not being worn (i.e., the external force is not applied) with the exception of, for example, the radius of curvature of the lower edge of casing, frame, and/or support structure which may be adjusted by the force so as to facilitate application or removal of casing, frame, and/or support structure from a wearer and/or facilitate maintain a position of casing, frame, and/or support structure when worn. The rigidity of the casing, frame, and/or support structure may assist with distributing weight from the wearer's breasts 15 to the wearer's torso 20 and prevent collapse of the casing, frame, and/or support structure under the weight of the wearer's breasts 15.

[000160] The frames, support structures, and/or casings disclosed herein may also be flexible so that they may bend, or flex, (via, for example, application of pressure or force by a housing in which a frame and/or casing is housed) when worn so as to abut and conform to the wearer's torso. Conformance of the frames, support structures, casings, and/or housings disclosed herein may be assisted by the application of external force from, for example, a wearer and/or housing. The contoured shape of arc 375 and/or a portion thereof (particularly in the X-Z plane on a Cartesian axis when the frame, support structure, and/or casing is held in an upright orientation) may act to support a wearer's breast weight and redistribute weight from a wearer's breast to her torso or rib cage. The arc may be self-supporting in that it has and maintains its arc shape without application of external force. This is in contrast to a traditional under-wire type of bra that surrounds a perimeter (front, sides and bottom) of breast tissue, which facilitates pulling the breast tissue upwards and supporting that weight by hanging from the wearer's shoulders and does not have this arc shape.

[000161] In some instances, a size, shape, thickness, width, and/or material used to make a frame, support structure, and/or casing disclosed herein may be responsive to, for example, a type of garment (e.g., sports bra, bathing suit, compression bra, etc.) in which the frame and/or casing will be included) and/or physical characteristics of a wearer (e.g., body size, shape, body mass index (BMI), mass, relative positioning of body features, breast size) who will wear same. For instance, in some embodiments, the shape, thickness, and/or width of a frame, support structure, casing, and/or a portion thereof, may be responsive to a volume and/or mass of a wearer's breast. For example, when a wearer has a breast mass of 6 pounds per breast then, a thickness and/or size of frame 300, support structure(s) 505, 506, 700, 1500, 1501 , and/or 1502 and/or casing 1000 and/or 1 100 may be greater than a thickness for a for a wearer that has a breast weight of 1.5 pounds per breast. Additionally, or alternatively, a material, or materials, used to manufacture a frame and/or casing may be responsive to the mass and/or volume of the wearer and/or her wearer breasts. For example, a material with a higher durability rating may be used to manufacture a frame, support structure, or casing disclosed herein for a wearer with a breast weight of 6 pounds per breast than for a wearer with a breast weight of 1.5 pounds per breast.

162] Additionally, or alternatively, materials may be layered to create a frame, support structure, and/or casing disclosed herein and a number of layers, positioning of layers, shape or size of layers, and/or materials used to manufacture the layers may be responsive to a wearer's size and/or a type of garment (e.g., sports bra, bathing suit, compression bra, etc.) in which the frame and/or casing will be included and/or the desired look, durability, or flexibility of the material. Materials may also be layered to create a frame, support structure, and/or casing disclosed herein responsively physical characteristics of a wearer (e.g., body size, body shape, body mass index (BMI) relative positioning of body features, breast size). For example, a frame or casing disclosed herein made for a wearer with a breast weight of 6 pounds per breast may include more layers of material and/or layers of different materials than frame or casing disclosed herein made for a wearer with a breast weight of 1 .5 pounds per breast. Additionally, or alternatively, a frame, support structure, casing, and/or housing may include more layers if it is adapted for inclusion in a garment designed to offer more breast weight support (e.g., a compression bra) than when it is adapted for inclusion in a garment designed to offer relatively less support for breast weight (e.g., a camisole). In some instances, more layers may be used in the manufacturing of a frame and/or casing disclosed herein so as to decrease and/or spread out the compression of the wearer's underlying skin or tissue when she is wearing a garment including the frames and/or casings disclosed herein. For instance, when a wearer has a high BMI then, any compression by a bra into her tissue may cause undesired repositioning of the surrounding tissue (e.g., create fat bulges or lines) that may be visible (even when wearing a garment on top of the bra). Use of multiple layers in the frame and/or casing, arranged in a manner to gradually increase the compression of the wearer's tissue, and/or an arrangement of layers in the frame and/or casing adapted to spread the footprint of the compressive force on the wearer's tissue caused by the garment including the frame or casing over a greater surface area may serve to reduce and, in some cases, eliminate this effect.

[000163] In some embodiments, a size, shape, thickness, and/or width of frames, support structures, and/or casings disclosed herein may be dependent on a positioning of the wearer's breasts and/or an inframammary fold on the wearer's torso. For example, if a wearer's breasts are positioned such than the wearer's inframammary fold sits further above second horizontal reference line 40 than is typical then, a curvature of under-bust band upper edge 340, volumetric cup portion 710, arc 375, and/or wrap around portion 345 (and/or corresponding portions of a casing or housing) may be adapted to accommodate, for example, the relative distance between the inframammary fold and the wearer's axilla and/or a curvature of the wearer's torso at that point. In this instance, other features of a frame, support structure, and/or casing described herein may also be adjusted to accommodate the relative proximity of the wearer's axilla to her inframammary fold. For example, dimensions of wrap-around portion 345, a relative angle between wrap-around portion outer edge 350 and wrap-around portion upper edge 360 and/or a position of peak 365 may be adapted so that wrap-around portion upper edge 360 does not coincide with the sensitive under-arm region of the wearer, which is of particular concern because the frame, casing, and/or garment may sit higher on this wearer than on the typical wearer.

[000164] In some embodiments, a shape, curvature, and/or width, and/or thickness of the frames, casings, and/or support structures disclosed herein may cooperate with one another to provide a system for redistribution of breast weight to the torso, or rib cage, of a wearer without, in some instances, support from the shoulder by use of a cantilever projection supported by a frame. [000165] In some embodiments, a wearer may be sized for a garment that includes casing 1000 by measuring the dimensions of the wearer's torso at, or near, the wearer's inframammary fold. Measured dimensions may include, for example, direct, manual measurements of the wearer's body (e.g., a manual measurement of a circumference of the wearer's torso) and/or measurements taken from an image or scan of the wearer's body. In some cases, a 3D image or scan (i.e., a series of images of the wearer from different angles, which may include a 360° scan of the wearer's torso) may be taken of the wearer's torso and various measurements of the dimensions of the wearer may be calculated therefrom. For example, a 360° 3D scan of the wearer's torso may be used to generate one or more ellipse-like shapes that may approximate the cross-sectional dimensions of the wearer's torso at various points along sagittal plane center midline 25 along a plane that is perpendicular to sagittal plane center midline 25.

[000166] In some embodiments, the frames, support structures, and/or casings described herein may be self-supporting so that they maintain their respective shapes without application of external force. This may be achieved by, for example, use of materials for the frames, support structures, and/or casings that are of sufficient rigidity to maintain their respective shapes without the application of an external force. In some circumstances, the frames and/or casings described herein may be sufficiently flexible so as to be deformed via the application of force so as to abut the torso/body of a wearer. The external force may be applied by, for example, the wearer when she wraps a garment including a frame, support structure, and/or casing around her torso and activates one or more closure mechanisms (e.g., hooks, straps, etc.) to fasten the garment in place.

[000167] FIGs. 14A-14F provide images of an exemplary housing 1400 for housing a casing, like casing 1000, and/or a system like system 1200 which may be encasing a support structure, like support structure 505, 506, 700, 1500, 1501 , and/or 1502 and/or a frame like frame 300. More particularly, FIG. 14A provides a front plan view of housing 1400, FIG. 34B provides a side perspective view of housing 1400, FIG. 34C provides a side view of an outside of housing 1400, FIG. 34D provides a side plan view of an inside of a housing 1400 when open, FIG. 34E provides a top plan view of portion of housing 1400 when open, FIG. 34F provides a rear perspective view of housing 1400, FIG. 34G provides another rear perspective view of housing 1400, and FIG. 34H provides a top plan view of housing 1400.

[000168] In some embodiments, housing 1400 forms the exterior and interior surfaces of a front-closure bra and is configured to be worn by a wearer like wearer 10 over her breasts, such as breasts 15A and 15B. More particularly, housing 1400 has a first side configured to be worn on a wearer's first front side 60 and a second side configured to be worn on the wearer's second front side 65. In other embodiments, housing 1400 includes a first and second casing 1000 or 1 100 and/or system 1200 joined by a closure mechanism 1470 and a back band 1475. In this embodiment, the first and second casing correspond to/are housed within a first and second side of housing 1400.

[000169] In one embodiment, housing 1400 includes a first side 1480 and a second side 1485, each of which include an intermammary-cleft portion 1405, an indentation line 1410 (which may be referred to herein as a volumetric cup demarcation line), a wrap-around portion 1415, an end-of- indentation line 1420, an upper edge 1425, an apex 1430, a lower edge 1435, an inside edge 1440, a volumetric cup 1445, an outer edge 1450, an under- bust band 1455, and an apex of the curvature of the upper edge 1460. The intermammary-cleft portion 1405, an indentation line 1410, a wrap-around portion 1415, an end-of-indentation line 1420, an upper edge 1425, an apex 1430, a lower edge 1435, an inside edge 1440, a volumetric cup 1445, an outer edge 1450, an under-bust band 1455, and an apex of the curvature of the upper edge 1460 of the first side 1480 are configured to be worn on the wearer's first front side 60 and the intermammary-cleft portion 1405, an indentation line 1410, a wrap-around portion 1415, an end-of-indentation line 1420, an upper edge 1425, an apex 1430, a lower edge 335, an inside edge 1440, a volumetric cup 1445, an outer edge 350, an under-bust band 1455, and an apex of the curvature of the upper edge 1460 of the second side 1485 are configured to be worn on the wearer's second front side 65. In most instances, the features of first side 1480 and second side 1485 will be symmetrical mirror images of one another. However, in some instances one or more dimensions of a feature of first side 1480 may be different from one or more dimensions of a corresponding feature of second side 1485 as may be desired when, for example, wearer 10 has asymmetrical breasts.

[000170] The first and second sides 1475 and 1475 of housing 1400 are joined together in the front of housing 1400 (as shown in FIGs. 14A, 14B, 14F, 14G, and 14F) by a closure mechanism 1470 and are joined together in the back of housing 1400 by a back band 1475 (as shown in FIGs. 14F, 14G, and 14H) to form a garment that encircles a torso, such as torso 20, of the wearer when worn. It is expected that the wearer will wrap an open housing 1400 (i.e., when closure mechanism 1470 is open) around her torso and then close closure mechanism 1470 to close the bra around her torso 20 so that it may be worn. When taking the housing 1400 off, it is expected that the wearer 10 will open, or otherwise, detach closure mechanism 1470 so that it opens housing 1400. In most embodiments, housing 1400 will be strapless although optional straps may be affixed to housing 1400 via, for example, a tab positioned on the interior of housing 1400. Additionally, or alternatively, housing 1400 may include a permanently attached strap.

[000171] Closure mechanism 1470 may be any mechanism configured to close and open housing 1400. In some instances, closure mechanism 1470 may be adjustable so that a size of the closure mechanism may change in the X (width) direction and/or Y (length) direction. Exemplary closure mechanisms 1470 include, but are not limited to, clasps, hooks, clips, clamps, and pressure-sensitive closures. In many instances, closure mechanism 1470 will have two sides, and a portion of each of the two sides (e.g., a hook, tab, or loop) will be attached to a respective one of first side 1480 and second side 1485 at, or near, for example, inside edge 1440.

[000172] In some embodiments, housing 1400 may be completely seamless and, in other embodiments, housing 1400 may have a pair of seems, each of which join a side of back band 1475 to an outer edge 1450 of the first and second sides 1475 and 1475 as shown in FIGs. 34F, 34G, and 34H. In some instances, back band 1475 may be flexible or elastic so that it may stretch, expand, and/or move with the wearer when worn although this need not always be the case. In some embodiments, back band 1475 may be adjustable by, for example, one or more adjustment mechanisms (not shown) such as hooks, VELCRO™, snaps, etc.

173] Features of housing 1400, and/or dimensions thereof, may correspond with, and/or align to, features of a frame and/or support structure, such as frame 300 and/or support structure(s) 505, 506, 700, 1500, 1501 , and/or 1502 encased/included therein. This correspondence/alignment may include, but is not limited to, alignment of features (e.g., placement of curves, padding, stitches) and how the housing is shaped or affixed to the casing, frame, and/or support structure. For example, inframammary cleft portion 1405 may correspond to/align with inframammary cleft portion 310; indentation line 1410 may correspond to/align with upper edge of under-bust band 330 and/or indentation line 1010; wrap-around portion 1415 may correspond to/align with wrap-around portion 345 and/or 1015; end-of- indentation line 1420 may correspond to/align with wrap-around-portion reference line 370 and/or end-of-indentation line 720; upper edge 1425 may correspond to/align with first curved upper edge 715, second curved upper edge 720, and/or upper edge 1025; apex 1430 may correspond to/align with apex 1030; lower edge 1435 may correspond to/align with inframammary cleft portion lower edge 325, under-bust band lower edge 335, wrap-around portion lower edge 355, and/or lower edge 1035; inside edge 1440 may correspond to/align with inside edge 320 and/or inside edge 1040; volumetric cup 1445 may correspond to/align with volumetric cup portion 710 and/or volumetric cup 1045; outer edge 1450 may correspond to/align with wraparound portion outside edge 350 and/or outer edge 1050; under-bust band 1455 may correspond to/align with under-bust band 330 and/or under-bust band 1055; and/or apex of the curvature of the upper edge 360 may correspond to/align with apex of the curvature of the upper edge 1060. [000174] When housing 1400 is held in an upright position (as shown in, for example, FIG. 14A), an inter-breast distance 1465 between first side 1480 and second side 1485 may be seen. The inter-breast distance 1465 corresponds to a distance between the breasts of the wearer. In some embodiments, the magnitude of the inter-breast distance 1465 may be adjustable via, for example, adjustability of the closure mechanism 1470 and/or back band 1475.

[000175] As illustrated in FIGs. 14A and 14B, under-bust band 1455 is configured/adapted to be oriented in a manner substantially perpendicular to a sagittal plane center midline of a wearer, such as sagittal plane center midline 25 of wearer 10. Under-bust band 1455 extends from the inside edge 1440 along the lower edge of housing 1400 underneath indentation line 1410 until end-of-indentation line 1420.

[000176] As illustrated in FIGs. 34C and 34D, wrap-around portion 1415 may begin at, or near, end-of-indentation line 1420 and extend away from volumetric cup 1445 toward outside edge 350 thereby forming wrap-around portion 1415. The size and shape of wrap-around portion 1415 may mimic the size and shape of an encased frame's and/or support structure's wraparound portion as noted above. End-of-indentation line 1420 is a vertical reference line superimposed on the depictions of housing 1400 shown in of FIGs. 14C to indicate where indentation line 1410 ends but is not present on housing 1400.

[000177] Volumetric cup 1445 may have similar characteristics to volumetric cup portion 710 and may be designed to contain and/or cover, for example, 25%, 50%, 75%, 80%, 90%, 95% and/or 340% of a wearer's breast inserted therein. An amount of breast volume contained by volumetric cup 1445 may be dependent upon the overall size and/or shape of volumetric cup 1445 which, in turn, may be based upon a shape or curvature of upper edge 1425 as well as a distance between an apex 1430 and under-bust band 1455.

[000178] Volumetric cup 1445 may have an apex 1430, which corresponds to an outer most point of a volumetric spherical-like shape of volumetric cup 1445 and a positioning of apex 1430 may correspond with a desired apex of the wearer's breast tissue when she is wearing housing 1400, which in some instances, may correspond with a position of a wearer's nipple (when the wearer's breast is repositioned within the volumetric cup 1445). In the embodiment of FIGs. 34A-34H, the upper edge 1425 of housing 1400 is curved so that a position of apex 1430 of the volumetric cup along the Y-axis approximately corresponds with an apex of the curvature of the upper edge 1460 along the Y-axis.

[000179] FIG. 14C provides a side view of housing 1400 that illustrates how the upper edge of the volumetric cup 1445 tapers down to form the upper edge of the wrap-around extension 3215. FIG. 14C also illustrates an upward curvature of the lower edge 1435 so that it tapers upward as it approaches outer edge 350. This shape of the upper edge of the volumetric cup 1445 and/or lower edge of the volumetric cup 1445 may serve to support breast tissue from the side when worn while not aligning with the wearer's sensitive armpit region. In this way, housing 1400 is not expected to press into the wearer's skin under her arm or along the side of her body under her arm.

[000180] FIG. 14C also shows a joint between outer edge 1450 of first side 1480 and back band 1475. In some embodiments, this joint may be positioned at an angle relative to the lower edge of wrap-around portion 1415. In some embodiments, an adjustment mechanism (e.g., hook/eye, strap, etc.) for back band 1475 may be positioned at, or near, this joint. In some instances, the joint may be made with flexible material, such as elastic or a mesh. FIG. 14C also illustrates the intersection of end-of-indentation line 1420 and indentation line 1410. It should be noted that any variation in the line for indentation line 1410 drawn on any of FIGs. 14A-14H is not part of the invention as the trajectory of indentation line 1410 is intended to be smooth.

[000181] FIGs. 14F and 14G provide two different rear perspective views of housing 1400 and show the outside of back band 1475 and an inside of a portion of first side 1480 and second side 1485. FIGs. 14F and 14G show a smooth transition between volumetric cup 1445 and wrap-around portion 1415 on the interior of housing. The interior of housing 1400 may include a layer of foam (e.g., memory foam) or other material that interfaces between the frame or support structure and the outer layer of fabric seen in FIGs. 14F and 14G. The foam or other material may be of uniform or non-uniform thickness throughout and, in some instances may cover the entire inner (or outer) surface of the frame or support structure or only a portion thereof. In some instances, the foam or other material may be concentrated at, or near, an interior of housing 1400 at indentation line 1410. FIG. 14G also shows closure mechanism 1470 in an open state so that only a covering (or male) 1490 of closure mechanism 1470 is shown. A tab 1495, or female portion of closure mechanism 1470, is shown in FIG. 34H. Closure mechanism 1470 may be closed when tab 1495 is inserted into covering 1490. At times, feedback regarding a secure closure of closure mechanism 1470 may be provided to the wearer via an auditory or manual sound or clicking sensation indicating when tab 1495 is properly seated in covering 1490. Likewise, closure mechanism may be opened when tab 1495 is separated from covering 1490.

[000182] FIG. 14E provides a top-side view of housing 1400 which shows a curvature of the lower edge of housing 1400, and of housing 1400 in general. The curvature may mimic, or approximate, curvature of arc 375. As may be seen in FIG. 14E, as well as FIGs. 14F and 14G, a curvature of housing 1400 as a whole as well as housing's 1400 lower edge, under-bust band 1455, and wrap-around portion 1415 may approximate a curvature of a wearer's torso 20 at, or near, her inframammary fold.

[000183] Volumetric cup 1445 may be a cantilever projection with a lower edge that may be positioned in a manner that corresponds with indentation line 1410 so that the interior lower edge of volumetric cup 1445 aligns with/corresponds to the exterior lower edge volumetric cup 1445. In other embodiments, the lower interior edge of volumetric cup 1445 may be positioned in a manner that does not correspond to/align with indentation line 1410 the exterior lower edge of volumetric cup 1445. For example, in some instances, the interior lower edge of volumetric cup 1445 may be positioned higher than indentation line 1410 as may be desired when, for example, pushing breast tissue upward. In other instances, the interior lower edge of volumetric cup 1445 may be positioned lower than indentation line 1410 as may be desired when, for example, positioning breast tissue downward.

[000184] In many cases, the ridge line, or edge, of the interior lower edge of volumetric cup 1445 may be most pronounced underneath the volumetric cup 1445 at, or near, a portion of volumetric cup that aligns with an intersection of a vertical reference line (not shown) passing through apex 1430 and the interior lower edge of volumetric cup 1445. As the interior lower edge of volumetric cup 1445 progresses away from this intersection (i.e., toward wrap-around portion 1415).

[000185] One or more characteristics (e.g., size, shape, thickness, material used, perforation pattern, width, etc.) of the features of frame 300, support structures 505, 506, 700, 1500, 1501 , and/or 1502 and/or housing 1400 may be determined.

[000186] The frames, support structures, casings, and/or housings disclosed herein and/or a portion thereof may, in some instances, provide a cantilever projection that extends outward from a portion of an upper edge of the frame and/or an under-bust portion of an under-bust band. The cantilevered projection may be shaped, sized, and positioned so as to accept a portion of a wearer's breast when worn. In some cases, a width of the cantilever projection may larger on a first side (e.g., near the intermammary cleft portion) of the cantilever projection than a width of the cantilever projection on a second side (e.g., near the wrap-around portion) of the cantilever projection. In some instances, a shape (e.g., a lower edge (e.g., where the cantilever projection meets an under-bust band)) of the cantilever projection may approximate a shape and/or size of the wearer's inframammary fold.

[000187] Turning now to FIGs. 15A-15C illustrate various views of another

exemplary support structure 1500 and/or set of support structures 1500 with downward extending projections. More specifically, FIG. 15A provides a first side perspective view of a set of support structures 1500, FIG. 15B provides a first side perspective view of the set of support structures 1500, and FIG. 15C provides a side perspective view of one of the support structures 1500. In some embodiments, support structure 1500 may be encased in a casing like casing 1000 and/or 1 100 and/or housed in a housing like housing 1400.

[000188] Support structure 1500 includes an upper band 1505 that extends between an interior edge 1510 and an upper portion of an outside projection 1530. A plurality of projections 1520A-1520E extend downward from upper band 1505. In some embodiments, upper band 1505 may be configured to correspond with an apex of a wearer's breast 15 along, for example, horizontal reference line 40 when worn. Upper band 1505 and the plurality of projections 1520A-1520E may, in some instances, cooperate with one another to form a shape approximating a lower half of a semi-sphere and, in some instances, may be similar in form and/or function to volumetric cup portion 710. The sphere-like shape of upper band 1505 and the plurality of projections 1520A-1520E, when considered in combination, may be achieved by a curve, or arc, shape of the upper band 1505 that is arced or curved in the -Z direction on either side of an upper band apex 1540 as shown in FIGs. 15A-15C. The sphere-like shape of upper band 1505 and the plurality of projections 1520A-1520E may be further achieved by a contouring, or curvature, of one or more of the plurality of projections 1520A-1520E along a surface thereof forming an interior surface of the support structure (i.e., the side of the support structure adapted to be coincident with a wearer's breasts when worn) that may be adapted to accept insertion of a wearer's breast therein.

[000189] Support structure 1500 also includes a wrap-around extension 1545 that forms a triangular-like shape with a first leg of the triangle being an outside projection 1530, a second leg being an inside projection 1525, and a lower edge 1535 that is connected to the bottom of outside projection 1530 and inside projection 1525. The upper sides of the inside projection 1525 and outside projection 1530 are connected to one another to complete the triangular-like shape. The wrap-around extension 1545 provides an anchoring mechanism for support structure 1500 and provides sufficient rigidity to support the shape of support structure 1500 (and therefore a desired breast shape) when bearing the load of breast weight inserted therein.

[000190] In some embodiments, a shape, or position, of inside projection 1525 may approximate a shape of an outer edge of a wearer's breast at, or near, her bust root along her inframammary fold and may be adapted to align with this outer edge when worn. In these embodiments, the remainder of wraparound extension 1545 may be adapted to align with the wearer's torso near the outside of her breast.

[000191] Support structure 1500 includes five projections 1520A-1520E that extend downward from upper band 1505. Projections 1520A-1520E of support structure 1501 vary in size and shape when compared with one another although this need not always be the case. In some instances, a shape and/or size of two or more projections 1520A-1520H may be the same. The exemplary shape of projection 1520A is that of a slightly curved vertical line that includes a rounded triangular shape at the bottom (i.e., the portion of projection 3250A furthest from upper band 1505). Projection 1520A also includes a perpendicular line is smaller in magnitude than the substantially vertical line projection 1520A and intersects the vertical line below its midpoint so that the perpendicular extension extends beyond the vertical line on both sides thereof.

[000192] Projection 1520B has a substantially linear shape that extends

downward away from upper band 1540 until it ends with a round portion that is wider than the substantially linear portion of projection 1520B. An exemplary shape of a projection 1520C includes a linear portion extending away from upper band 1540 that is intersected with a substantially

perpendicular line above a midpoint of the linear portion of projection 1520C. Projection 1520C also includes an extension that extends from a first side of the linear portion of projection 1520C and a round portion that is

substantially similar to the round portion of projection 1520B positioned at the bottom of projection 1520C. An exemplary shape of projection 1520D is substantially similar to that of projection 1520B except that it is shorter and wider then projection 1520B. An exemplary shape of projection 1520E includes a linear portion extending down from upper band 1540 that is intersected at, or above, a midpoint of the linear portion with a substantially perpendicular line.

[000193] Although support structure 1500 has five separate projections 1520A- 1520E, a person of skill in the art will recognize that any number of projections may be used. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more of the separate projections 1520A-1520E may be joined to one another via, for example, an alternatively shaped projection that joins, for example, the perpendicular extension of projection 1520E with projection 1520D and/or an under-bust band, such as under-bust band 330 that joins one or more of projections 1520A-1520E along a lower edge. In some embodiments, one or more of projections 1520A-1520E may be connected only to one another (e.g., not connected to upper band 1540.

[000194] FIGs. 15D and 15E provide illustrations of alternate embodiments of a support structure 1501 and 1502, respectively, with downward extending projections. Both support structures 1501 and 1502 include a wrap-around extension 1545 that includes an outside projection 1530, an inside projection 1525, and a lower edge 1535 as discussed above with regard to FIGs. I SA- I SC. As with support structure 1500, the wrap-around extension 1545 of support structures 1501 and 1502 provide an anchoring mechanism for support structures 1501 and 1502 and provides sufficient rigidity to support the shape of support structures 1501 and 1502 (and therefore a desired breast shape) when bearing the load of breast weight inserted therein. In some embodiments, a shape or position of inside projection 1525 may approximate a shape of an outer edge of a wearer's breast at, or near, her bust root along her inframammary fold and may be adapted to align with this outer edge when worn. In these embodiments, the remainder of wraparound extension 1545 may be adapted to align with the wearer's torso near the outside of her breast.

[000195] Projections 1520A-1520H of support structure 1501 each have a

different shape, although this need not be the case. In some instances, a shape of two or more projections 1520A-1520H may be the same. The exemplary shape of projection 1520A is that of a slightly curved line with a rounded triangularly-shaped end. Projections 1520B, 1520D, and 1520H are shaped as substantially vertical lines with a rounded triangularly-shaped end. Projections 1520C, 1520E, and 1520G are also shaped as substantially vertical lines with a rounded triangularly-shaped end but, projections 1520C and 1520E are longer (i.e., extend further away from upper band 1505) than projections 1520B and 1520D. Projection 1520E is shaped as an upside down "V" with rounded triangularly-shaped ends.

[000196] Projections 1520A-1520E of support structure 1502 are similarly

shaped but have differing lengths. Additionally, the projections 1520A-1520E of support structure 1502 are thinner and occupy less space those of support structure 1501 or 1500. In this way, support structure 1502 may not be as rigid and/or able to support breast weight as support structure(s) 1501 and/or 1500. Projections 1520A-1520C are substantially linear in shape with a rounded triangular end and are arranged substantially in parallel with one another in ascending so that projection 1520A is the smallest and projection 1520C is the largest. Projections 1520D and 1520E are arranged at an angle to projection 1520C in a "V" like formation wherein projection 1520D is wider than projections 1520A-1520C.

[000197] Although support structures 1500, 1501 , and 1502 have a plurality of separate projections, a person of skill in the art will recognize that any number of projections may be used. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more of the separate projections may be joined to one another via, for example, an alternatively shaped projection that joins, for example, two or more perpendicular extensions of a projection with one another.

Additionally, or alternatively, one or more of the projections 1520 may be joined to an under-bust band, such as under-bust band 330 that may be coupled to one or more of projections 1520 along a lower edge. FIGs. 15F and 15G provide examples of support structures projections 1501 and 1502, respectively, being connected together with a lower band 1550. In some instances, lower band 1550 may be flexible and allow for movement between projections 1520A-1520H of support structure 1501 and/or 1520A-1520E of support structure 1501 while, lower band 1550 may be rigid and not allow for movement between projections 1520A-1520H of support structure 1501 and/or 1520A-1520E of support structure 1501 . As shown in FIGs. 15F and 15G, lower band 1550 does not extend all the way to in other instances, and In some embodiments, lower band 1550 may approximate a shape and/or size of a under-bust band 330.

[000198] In some instances, a curvature of support structure(s) 1500, 1501 , and/or 1502 may be similar to arc 375. Additionally, or alternatively, support structure(s) 1500, 1501 , and/or 1502 may be adapted to join and/or align with a frame, such as frame 300 and/or a support structure like support structure 700 so as to, for example, provide additional support or structural rigidity for same. In most instances, support structures 1500, 1501 , and 1502 will be encased in a casing like casing 1000 and/or 1 100. However, in some instances, one or more of support structure(s) 1500, 1501 , and/or 1502 may be positioned on an exterior surface of a casing (e.g., and/or housing (e.g., housing 1400) in a manner similar to an exoskeleton.

[000199] Hence, garment or bra frames, support structures, casings, and housings have been herein disclosed.