The present invention concerns an accessory to determine the required size of a breast prosthesis to be provided.

It is known that, to determine the size of a breast prosthesis, use is made of a plastic bag in which is provided a measured amount of water, after which said filled plastic bag is placed in the bra so as to imitate the volume of a breast prosthesis.

By successively adding or taking away water, the required volume of the breast prosthesis can be determined, whereby the amount of water in the bag is a measure for the breast prosthesis.

Such a method is disadvantageous in that it is only suitable to be applied at home or at the doctor' s, since such a bag is not suitable to be carried along for a longer period, since water can be spilled while moving and such a bag may start leaking.

Moreover, such a bag protrudes from the bra over a certain length, which of course may be uncomfortable and moreover cannot be used outside one's own circle.

A disadvantage thereof is that women do not get the chance to get used to the volume of the prosthesis which was thus determined, which often leads to disappointments when the final prosthesis is placed and when it is found after a while that the provided prosthesis does not entirely meet one's expectations, as the prosthesis often appears to be a size too small or too large.

Another disadvantage is that filling and emptying such a bag is difficult, as no appropriate means are provided to that end.

The present invention aims to remedy one or several of the above-mentioned disadvantages.

To this end, the present invention concerns an accessory to determine the required size of a breast prosthesis, whereby this accessory mainly consists of a bag made of a watertight material whose dimensions are such that it can be worn in a bra and that is provided with a mouth which can be sealed.

An advantage of such an accessory is that an amount of liquid can be provided or removed in a very simple manner via the above-mentioned mouth, after which this mouth can always be sealed, so that any spilling and leaking of water is avoided.

An advantage linked thereto is that such an accessory according to the invention can be worn for a certain period of time, for example a few days or weeks, such that one can experience in day-to-day life whether the volume of the accessory corresponds to the required size of the breast prosthesis.

The above-mentioned mouth can preferably be sealed by means of a plug or a valve.

In a preferred embodiment, the accessory is provided with a filler in the form of a dose-measuring syringe or the like which makes it possible to top up the bag with liquid via the mouth, in a dosed manner, or to drain out liquid, to thus simulate a .larger or a smaller prosthesis, without any spilling.

In order to better explain the characteristics of the invention, the following preferred embodiments of an accessory according to the invention are described as an example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 schematically represents an accessory according to the invention in perspective; figure 2 represents a section according to line II-II in figure 1; figure 3 represents the part indicated in figure 2 by F3 to a larger scale; figures 4 and 5 represent the use of an accessory according to the invention; figures 6 to 8 represent variants of an accessory according to figure 3. Figures 1 to 3 represent an accessory 1 to determine the required size of a breast prosthesis to be provided, which accessory 1 mainly consists of an almost round bag 2 made of a watertight and preferably somewhat elastic material, in which is provided a mouth 3.

The above-mentioned mouth 3 is in this case reinforced by a ring 4 and can be sealed by means of a plug 5 which is provided in the above-mentioned ring 4.

The above-mentioned ring 4 and/or plug 5 are preferably made of a sealing and flexible material, such that a good sealing is possible.

It is clear, however, that the above-mentioned ring 4 and/or stop 5 can also be made of a rigid material, whereby at least the above-mentioned plug 5 is made conical, such that a self-sealing sealing of the mouth 3 can be realised.

The use of such an accessory 1 according to the present invention is very simple and is represented in figures 4 and 5.

After the plug 5 has been removed, the bag 2 can be filled in a dosed manner, for example by means of a dose-measuring syringe with which a measured amount of liquid can be injected so as to provide a certain required volume to the bag 2.

The dimensions of the above-mentioned bag 2 are preferably such that it can be worn in a bra such that, after the bag 2 has been sealed again, the accessory 1 can be provided in a bra 7 to thus simulate a breast prosthesis.

This makes it possible to wear the accessory 1 according to the invention for a few days or weeks in the bra 7 and to thus experience in day-to-day life whether the volume of the accessory 1 meets the expectations .

If the volume still does not meet the expectations, it is always possible to add additional liquid via the above-mentioned mouth 3 by means of a dose-measuring syringe 6 or the like. This operation can be repeated until the required amount of liquid is present in the bag 2.

In order to remove an amount of liquid from the accessory 1, the dose-measuring syringe 6 can be provided in the mouth 3 and liquid can be sucked up from the accessory 1.

The amount of liquid which is finally situated in the bag 2 is a measure for the volume of the required breast prosthesis.

It is clear that the above-mentioned bag 2 can be made according to different diameters and volumes and that, moreover, the bag 2 must not necessarily be round, but that it can also have other shapes. Figure 6 represents a variant of an accessory 1 according to the invention, whereby the plug 5 is provided with a screw thread 8 which can work in conjunction with a screw thread 9 which is provided in the ring 4.

Between the above-mentioned plug 5 and the ring 4 is preferably provided a sealing 10.

The use of such a variant is analogous to that of the above-described embodiment.

According to a variant which is not represented in the figures, it is also possible for the above-mentioned plug 5 to be made in the shape of a screw cap with an internal screw thread which works in conjunction with an external screw thread provided on the above-mentioned ring 4.

Figure 7 represents another embodiment of an accessory 1 according to the invention, whereby the above- mentioned mouth 3 can be sealed by means of a valve 11 which mainly consists of a housing 12 with a central passage 13 provided around the mouth 3.

The above-mentioned central passage 13 is provided with a widened part 14 with a lid 15 forming a stop for a closing plate 16 which is provided in the above-mentioned widened part 14 of the central passage 13.

Moreover, the above-mentioned housing 12 is provided with a supporting bottom 17 at the mouth 3 which is provided with an orifice 18 for a liquid. Between the above-mentioned supporting bottom 17 and the closing plate 16 is provided a spring 19 or the like which seals the valve 11 when in rest, as it pushes the closing plate 16 against the lid .15 forming a stop.

Figure 8 represents another variant of an accessory 1 to determine the required size of a breast prosthesis, whereby the above-mentioned mouth 3 can be sealed by means of an elastic sealing part 20 which is provided in this mouth 3, for example by means of gluing or the like, and which in this case is also being held in the above- mentioned ring 4.

In order to top up or empty such a variant, a dose- measuring syringe 6 with a sharp needle point 21 will have to be used, whereby the point 21 of the needle is provided through the above-mentioned sealing part 20.

When the needle is taken out of the sealing part 20 again, the thus made perforation will close again thanks to the elasticity of the sealing part 20.

It is clear that the above-mentioned ring 4 can form a whole with the above-mentioned bag 2, for example in the form of a local thickening of the bag's 2 material around the above-mentioned mouth 3.

It is also clear that the above-mentioned liquid may consist of water or any other liquid whatsoever which is suitable to be used in such an accessory 1 according to the invention. According to the invention, the bag 2 can be made of all sorts of watertight materials, such as plastic or rubber.

The present invention is by no means limited to the above-described embodiments given as an example and represented in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, such an accessory according to the invention can be made in all sorts of shapes and dimensions while still remaining within the scope of the invention.