Abstract
A brassiere for use while nursing or pumping to help in the release of breast milk from the milk ducts of a woman's breast by applying steady and uniform pressure to the periphery of the breast with a stretchable compression material, with the pressure directed radially inward toward a centerline of the breast and outwardly through the nipple of the breast, to place pressure on the milk ducts and to assist in pushing milk out of the nipples. The nursing brassiere lifts the breast to assist in handling the breast while nursing and enables for a more relaxed breast-feeding or pumping experience.
Claims
1. A nursing brassiere for facilitating release of breast milk from a nipple of a breast of a woman, the nursing brassiere comprising: a shoulder strap section (10) having a pair of primary shoulder straps (12, 112) and a pair of secondary shoulder straps (14, 114), the primary shoulder straps connected to the secondary shoulder straps; a pair of breast cups (16) connected to the secondary shoulder straps (14, 114), each of the pair of breast cups configured to substantially cover the breast of the woman with an aperture of sufficient size to allow exposure of at least a portion of an areola of the woman for access to the nipple by a child, each of the pair of breast cups further including an open ended sleeve of stretchable compression material completely encircling an external periphery of the breast for providing compressive pressure directed radially inward toward a centerline of the breast, the centerline of the breast extending outwardly from a chest of the woman through the nipple of the breast, the sleeve of stretchable compression material for placing pressure on milk ducts of the breast to assist in release of breast milk from the milk ducts, the stretchable compression material providing a constant and uniform pressure to breast tissue around the external periphery of the breast and in an outward direction toward the nipple to push milk from the milk ducts and out of the nipple; a middle section (18) connected between the breast cups; and a body support section (20) having a front portion (22) connected extending through side portions (24) to a back portion (26), the front portion connecting to the middle section and each of the pair of breast cups, the side portions connecting to the front portion with one side portion connected to one each of the pair of breast cups, and the back portion extending between the side portions and having a top edge, wherein the primary shoulder straps connect to the top edge of the back portion.
2. The nursing brassiere of claim 1 further comprising: the shoulder straps (10), middle section (18), and the body support section (20) are each made of at least one piece of stretchable material, the shoulder straps having a width of between approximately inch to approximately 3 inches wide, inclusive, wherein the primary and secondary shoulder straps connect at the ends generally near an upper portion of a shoulder of the woman; a fastener (32) for connecting one of the secondary straps to a corresponding one of the primary straps; a closure located generally in at least one of a middle of the middle section (36, 136) of the brassiere and a middle of the back portion (38) of the brassier; and a removable lower section (44) for covering an entire abdomen of the woman connectible to a lower edge of the body support section (42) by at least one fastener (45).
3. In a nursing brassiere for facilitating release of breast milk from a nipple of a breast of a woman, the nursing brassiere including a shoulder strap section (1) having a pair of shoulder straps extending from a primary location (12, 112) to a secondary location (14, 114), a pair of breast cups (16) connected at a front location of the shoulder straps, each of the pair of breast cups configured to substantially cover the breast of the woman, a middle section (18) connected between the breast cups, a body support section (20) having a front portion (22) connected extending through side portions (24) to a back portion (26), the front portion connecting to the middle section and each of the pair of breast cups, the side portions connecting to the front portion with one side portion connecting to one each of the pair of breast cups, and the back portion extending between the side portions, the improvement comprising: each of the pair of breast cups further including an open ended sleeve of stretchable compression material completely encircling an external periphery of the breast for providing compressive pressure directed radially inward toward a centerline of the breast, the centerline of the breast extending outwardly from a chest of the woman through the nipple of the breast, the sleeve of stretchable compression material for placing pressure on milk ducts of the breast to assist in release of breast milk from the milk ducts, the stretchable compression material providing a constant and uniform pressure to breast tissue around the external periphery of the breast and in an outward direction toward the nipple to push milk from the milk ducts and out of the nipple.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
(2) FIG. 1 is a front view of a nursing brassiere with the breast sleeve cups connected together with a middle portion defining a first style;
(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the nursing brassiere of the first style with the breast sleeves disconnected at the shoulder straps and hanging down;
(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the nursing brassiere of the first style with the breast sleeves connected at the shoulder straps and with additional accessory features noted;
(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the nursing brassiere with separate individual breast sleeves cups, i.e. that are not connected directly to the nursing brassiere defining a second style;
(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the nursing brassiere with the breast sleeves connected to a body of a foundational support defining a third style with a front closure;
(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the nursing brassiere of the third style with a back closure;
(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the nursing brassiere of the third style with a pocket accessory on the brassier;
(9) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the nursing brassiere of the third style with lower side panels; and
(10) FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the nursing brassiere in use while nursing an infant.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(11) Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a front perspective view of a nursing brassiere with breast sleeve cups 16 connected together with a breast sleeve middle portion 37. The breast sleeve cups 16 are configured to substantially cover the breast of the woman, with each of the pair of breast sleeve cups made of stretchable compression material completely encircling an external periphery of the breast for providing compressive pressure directed radially inward toward a centerline of the breast, the centerline of the breast extending outwardly through the nipple of the breast, the sleeve of stretchable compression material for placing pressure on milk ducts of the breast to assist in release of breast milk from the milk ducts, the stretchable compression material providing a constant and uniform pressure to breast tissue around the external periphery of the breast and in an outward direction toward the nipple to push milk from the milk ducts and out of the nipple. The breast sleeve cups 16 are generally connected to secondary shoulder straps 114 (or 14 as shown in FIG. 5) and attach to primary straps 112, also shown in FIG. 2. The breast sleeve cups will include an aperture of sufficient size to allow primarily an areola of the breast of a woman to be exposed 28 for access to the nipple by a child. The breast sleeve cups 16 and the secondary shoulder straps 114 (or 14 as shown in FIG. 5) will operate as one piece of the entire brassiere, and connects to the body support section 20, the foundation of the brassiere, along the lower and side edges of the body support aperture 52.
(12) As shown in FIG. 1, the body support section 20 is shaped similarly to a sports brassiere, but with a pair of large apertures of sufficient size to allow the entire breast of a woman to go through. The body support section, therefore, will have a front portion 22 connected extending through side portions 24 (also shown in FIG. 2) to a back portion 26 (as also shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6). The front portion 22 connects to a middle section 18 and each of the pair of breast cups 16. The side portions 24 connect to the front portion 22 with one side portion connecting to one each of the pair of breast cups 16. The back portion 26 extends between the side portions and has a top edge. The primary shoulder straps 14, 114 connect to the top edge of the back portion 26. Additionally, the entire body support section is intended to be made of stretchable material that can also provide for support to the body and back, like spandex.
(13) Referring now to the shoulder straps 10 as seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, both the primary straps 112 of FIG. 1 (or 12 as shown in FIG. 5) and the secondary straps 114 of FIG. 1 (or 14 as shown in FIG. 5) of the shoulder straps 10 are intended to be wide in width in comparison to traditional brassieres known in the field for the added comfort and support due to a woman's breast becoming larger and heavier while nursing. The shoulder straps 10 of the nursing brassiere having a width of between approximately a half-inch () to approximately three inches (3) wide, inclusive. Additionally, the primary shoulder straps 112 (or 12 in FIG. 5) and the secondary shoulder straps 114 (or 14 in FIG. 5) connect generally near an upper portion of a shoulder of the woman 30 as can be seen in FIG. 5 by at least one fastener. The at least one fastener can be selected from a group including press studs, hook and loop fasteners, buttons, adjustable length strap connectors, convertible configuration strap connectors, and any combination thereof 32 as can be seen in FIG. 2.
(14) The wearer of the nursing brassiere as shown in FIG. 1 would open the front closure 36 using zipper pull tab 35, which is in the front middle section 18 of the body support 20, detach the secondary shoulder straps 114 from the primary shoulder straps 114, and pull the nursing brassiere over the head, arms through the straps and pull the bottom 22 of the brassiere below to a position under the bust, ensuring that the breasts are fully through the apertures of the body support and resting into the breast sleeve cups. FIG. 2 illustrates a view of the nursing brassiere with the secondary straps down. Once the nursing brassiere is situated on the body, the wearer can adjust their breasts within the sleeves of the breast sleeve cups through the opening of the front closure 136. Once the breasts are securely in place with the areola centered to the aperture of the breast sleeve cup, the wearer of the nursing brassiere can close the front closure, pull up the secondary shoulders 114 and attach the secondary shoulder straps 114 to the primary shoulder straps 112 to secure the breast sleeves and to pull up the breast, and begin nursing a child.
(15) Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a side perspective view of the nursing brassiere as already described with additional features that can be added to the nursing brassiere. First, a lower section 45 can be releasibly connectible with at least one fastener or attachment member 44 to a lower-band 42 on a lower edge of the body support section attached to the nursing brassiere to allow a nursing mother to cover her entire abdominal 45 while nursing or pumping. The releasable lower section can be attached by at least one fastener 44. The at least one fastener can be selected from a group including press studs, hook and loop fasteners, hook and eyes, magnetic strips, zips, buttons and slide fasteners, and any combination thereof. Second, the breast sleeve cups can include a closure located along the aperture of the breast sleeves cups generally near a woman's areola to allow for hands-free breast pumping 40 by opening the closure and placing a breast pump suction cup on the breast and securing the suction cup to the breast by closing the closure. Third, the nursing brassiere can include a pocket 46 located on the body support section generally along a side portion adjacent to one of the pair of breast sleeve cups with the opening of the pocket along the top edge 48. The pocket can either remain open at all times, or can have a closure to close the opening 50 along the top edge of the pocket. The pocket can allow the wearer of the nursing brassiere to place items in the pocket without falling out while nursing, like a music player, a cellular telephone, or small cloth. Fourth, the nursing brassiere can include a time keeping device and/or a breast indicator 53 located generally along one of the top of the breast cup and the middle section for keeping track of feeding times or indicating to the woman the appropriate breast to be used next for nursing, respectively.
(16) Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a front and side perspective view of a nursing brassiere with individual breast sleeves cups that are connected to one another eliminating the middle section 37 as previously shown in FIG. 1. The nursing brassiere of FIG. 4 is substantially similar to the nursing brassiere of FIGS. 1-3 in all respects except the pair of breast sleeve cups 16 are not designed to operate as one piece of the nursing brassiere along with the shoulder straps, but rather each breast sleeve cup 16 along with a corresponding secondary shoulder strap 114 will operate and function individually independent of one another. Additionally, the nursing brassiere of FIG. 4 can differ respectively from the nursing brassiere of FIGS. 1-3 in how the front closure is structured. The nursing brassiere of FIG. 4 can include any of three variations of brassiere closures. First, the nursing brassiere can have the same front closure 136 as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, where there is a closure between the lower band 22 and where the bottom edge of the breast sleeve middle portion 37 would have been. Second, the nursing brassiere can have a front closure 36, as shown in FIG. 5, going completely through the top portion 34, middle section 18, as shown in FIG. 5, and lower band 22 of the brassiere allowing for the brassiere to be placed on a wearer by opening the closure, placing arms through primary straps 112 as if putting on a jacket, and then closing closures with press studs, VELCRO hook and loop fastener, hooks and eyes, zips, buttons, slide fasteners, or other fasteners known to those skilled in the art, and then attaching the secondary straps 114 to the primary straps 112. Third, the brassiere can also have a back closure 38 generally in a middle of the back section of the brassiere 26 allowing for the wearer of the brassiere to place the nursing brassiere on in the traditional way of most common brassieres known in the art by placing brassiere over the shoulders and closing back closures, and then attaching the secondary straps 114 to the primary straps 112 to provide the additional support and lift to assist while nursing.
(17) Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a front and side perspective view of nursing brassiere substantially similar to that of the nursing brassiere shown in FIGS. 1-3 with respect to functionality, where the only changes in the nursing brassiere are related structure and design. In the nursing brassiere shown in FIG. 5, the breast sleeve cups 16 are configured to substantially cover the breast of the woman with each of the pair of breast sleeve cups made of stretchable compression material completely encircling an external periphery of the breast for providing compressive pressure directed radially inward toward a centerline of the breast. The centerlines of the breasts, for purposes of this discussion, extend outwardly through the nipple of each breast from the chest of the woman. The sleeve of stretchable compression material places pressure on milk ducts of the breast to assist in release of breast milk from the milk ducts. The stretchable compression material provides a constant and uniform pressure to breast tissue around the external periphery of the breast and in an outward direction toward the nipple to push milk from the milk ducts and out of the nipple. The breast sleeve cups 16 are generally connected to secondary shoulder straps 14 and attached to primary straps 12 along the top of a wearer's shoulders 30. The breast sleeve cups include an aperture of sufficient size to allow primarily an areola of the breast of a woman to be exposed 28 for access to the nipple by a child. The breast sleeve cups 16 connect to the body support section 20 along all edges of the breast sleeves, and will generally flow into the secondary straps 14.
(18) Additionally, in the illustrated configuration of FIG. 5, the body support section 20 connects to the compression material breast sleeve cups 16, and flows into the middle section 18 and shoulder straps 10 to create the appearance of a one piece nursing brassiere that either opens in the front with a front closure 36 or opens in the back with a back closure 38 as shown in FIG. 6. Referring again to the body support section 20 of the nursing brassiere, the body support section can have a front portion 22 connected extending through side portions 24 to a back portion 26. The front portion 22 connects to a middle section 18 and each of the pair of breast cups 16. The side portions 24 connect to the front portion 22 with one side portion connecting to one each of the pair of breast cups 16. The back portion 26 extends between the side portions and has a top edge. The primary shoulder straps 14 connect to the top edge of the back portion 26. Additionally, the entire body support section is intended to be made of stretchable material that can also provide for support to the body and back, using a material having properties similar to spandex, elastane, lycra, or natural latex. Spandex, elastane, and lycra are synthetic fibers made of polyurethane-polyurea copolymer with resistance up to 600% elongation before rupture, and can be mixed with cotton or polyester.
(19) The shoulder straps 10 of the nursing brassiere illustrated in FIG. 5 will function in substantially the same way as the nursing brassiere illustrated in FIGS. 1-3; where the primary straps 12 and the secondary straps 14 are intended to be wide in width, in comparison to traditional brassieres known in the art, for the added comfort and support due to a woman's breast becoming larger and heavier while nursing. Except, in the nursing brassiere of FIG. 5, when the shoulder straps are not attached, no straps will be touching the shoulder of the wearer, and when the straps are attached both straps will rest on the shoulders of the wearer. Whereas, in the previous illustrated nursing brassiere of FIGS. 1-3, the primary shoulder straps 12 maintained contact with the wearer's shoulders regardless of the position of the secondary straps 14, i.e. attached or detached. Additionally, the shoulder straps 10 of the nursing brassiere can have a width of between approximately a half-inch () to approximately three inches (3) wide, inclusive. The primary shoulder straps 12 and the secondary shoulder straps 14 connect generally near an upper portion of a shoulder of the woman 30 by at least one fastener. The at least one fastener can be selected from a group including press studs, hook and loop fasteners, buttons, adjustable length strap connectors, convertible configuration strap connectors, and any combination thereof 32, as best seen in FIG. 2.
(20) Additionally, the illustrated nursing brassiere of FIG. 5 differs from the illustration of FIGS. 1-3 in how the front closure is structured, as similarly stated with respect to the illustration of the nursing brassiere of FIG. 4. The nursing brassiere of FIG. 5 can have either one of two variations of brassiere closures. First, the nursing brassiere can have a front closure 36 going completely through the top portion 34 middle section 18, and lower band 22 of the brassiere allowing for the brassiere to be placed on a wearer by opening the closure, placing arms through primary straps 12 as if putting on a jacket, and then closing closures with press studs, VELCRO hook and loop fastener, hooks and eyes, zips, buttons, slide fasteners, or other fasteners known in the art and then attaching the secondary straps 14 to the primary straps 12. Second, the brassiere can have a back closure 38, as best seen in FIG. 6, generally in a middle portion of the back section of the brassiere 26 allowing for the wearer of the brassiere to place the nursing brassiere on in the traditional way of most common brassieres known in the art by placing the brassiere over the shoulder and closing the back closure, and then attaching the secondary straps 14 to the primary straps.
(21) Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a side perspective view of the nursing brassiere illustrated in FIG. 6 as already described, with the additional feature of having a pocket 46. As stated with respect to the illustrated nursing brassiere of FIGS. 1-3, the pocket 46 can be located on the body support section generally along a side portion adjacent to one of the pair of breast sleeve cups with the opening of the pocket along the top edge 48. The pocket can either remain open at all times, or can have a closure to close the opening 50 along the top edge of the pocket. The pocket 46 can allow the wearer of the nursing brassiere to place items in the pocket without falling out while nursing, like a music player, a cellular telephone, or small cloth. The illustrated nursing brassiere of FIGS. 6-7 can also include all of the other additional features noted in the illustrated nursing brassiere of FIGS. 1-3. Additionally, in the nursing brassiere of FIGS. 6-7, the side portions 24 of the body support section 26 can either be wide, as shown in FIG. 7, or narrow, as shown in FIG. 8.
(22) Referring now to FIG. 9, there is a side perspective view of a baby nursing while the woman is wearing a nursing brassiere as described above. The x marks in the figure represent the compression force being exerted on the breast to enable milk flow and to reduce stagnation which results in engorgement at the nipple. FIG. 9 also shows the limited amount of breast tissue exposed, permitting a nursing mother to handle her breast without actually repeatedly touching the breast and placing germs on the breast, potentially spreading the germs to the nursing child. Additionally, FIG. 9 demonstrates a nursing brassiere to not only enable compression along the natural elongated contour of the breast, but to also enable for a more relaxed and natural breast feeding experience for larger breasted women.
(23) While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.
