Lin Jung-chao (林榮昭) lost both his arms 40 years ago to severe burns from electrocution when he was 18, but this has not stopped him from persevering and being creative. His efforts have been rewarded with a patent from both Taiwan’s and China’s intellectual property offices for his invention — the inflatable adjustable bra.
When Lin had to have his arms surgically amputated because of the severity of his burns, he said it was like falling from heaven into hell and he felt he had no future.
“Of course, I thought about suicide,” Lin said.
Photo: Wang Chun-chung, Taipei Times
A high-school dropout, Lin said he did a range of jobs to earn money, adding that he also learned how to do things with his feet to lessen his dependence on his family.
He even had an electric wheelchair custom made, using a pedal for the accelerator instead of having to twist it by hand like a scooter, so he could go to work and meet people.
Lin married 10 years ago, saying he was inspired by Yang En-tien (楊恩典), a famous Taiwanese mouth and foot painter, who was married and had children.
“If she can do it, I can too,” Lin said.
Lin said that although he did not have his hands anymore, he could still think. Two or three years ago, he discovered that Taiwanese women were often troubled by having small, sagging or protruding breasts.
Why not design a model that would solve all those problems, Lin thought.
After asking JEPAT Patent & Trademark Co in Greater Tainan to sketch pictures of his design and fill in application forms, Lin mailed the forms to the intellectual property bureaus in Taiwan and China, which each granted him a 10-year patent.
JEPAT chairman Yi Hsiang-yun (易湘雲) lauded Lin, saying although he no longer had the use of his hands, his heart and mind were still intact, adding that society should give Lin a chance.
Lin’s inflatable bra design involves placing an upper and lower inflatable sac in each cup — inflation of the upper sac would give the breast the appearance of being bigger, while the lower inflatable sac would be able to lift and center the breasts.
Lin hopes his creation will catch the eye of lingerie manufacturers and that it can be mass produced.
Translated by Jake Chung, staff writer
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