Padded Shirt for Mastectomy

Abstract

A garment with a single piece of enhanced and contoured foam padding with integral breast mound prostheses and incorporated pectoral and sternal padding for the bilateral mastectomy patient is disclosed. This said piece of enhanced padding is sewn into the said garment to restore a natural looking breast mound appearance in clothing while offering padded comfort over the sensitive pectoral and sternal areas caused by a mastectomy. This said padding within the said garment is intended to be sewn onto a cropped, middle layer of material within the said garment. This said middle layer of material with attached padding is then sewn between the inside of the front, inner layer and the inside of the back, inner layer of the said garment with mound prostheses facing the inside of the front layer of the said garment thus giving a natural breast mound appearance on the outside of the front layer of the said garment. The said garment with said enhanced padding is intended for the bilateral mastectomy patient but also available to anyone else desiring to have a natural breast mound appearance in clothing. This invention is unique in its design from anything currently available on the market today in that it offers a single, fully padded piece of lightweight, contoured and enhanced foam padding with two, integral breast mound prostheses which is sewn directly, appropriately and permanently into a garment. There is no shelf bra, no pocket, no broad band elastic, no constriction and no heaviness within this invention. This invention is extremely convenient, lightweight, machine washable and machine dryable thus making it an instant, comfortable and complementary solution for the desire to restore or gain a natural breast mound appearance in clothing. No other breast prostheses are needed to have a complete and natural looking breast mound appearance when wearing this invention. This invention is available in different sizes to accommodate all individuals.

Claims

1. A garment containing lightweight, sternal padding with two integral breast mound prostheses for the bilateral mastectomy patient, or other, consisting of: a front layer a sternal padding with two breast mound prostheses a middle layer and a back layer.

2. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the front layer of the garment, the sternal padding with two breast mound prostheses, the middle layer of the garment and the back layer of the garment are joined together to form the garment.

3. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the sternal padding with two breast mound prostheses component of the said garment can be manufactured as one, continuous molded piece of padding with two breast mound prostheses.

4. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the sternal padding with two breast mound prostheses component of the said garment can be produced as one, continuous piece by adding two, separate breast mound prostheses to one piece of sternal padding.

5. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the sternal padding with two breast mound prostheses component of the said garment may be sewn within the said garment as three, separate partsa piece of sternal padding and two breast mound prostheses on either side of the said sternal padding in order to offer additional options for producing the said garment while maintaining the essence of the sternal padding with two breast mound prostheses invention within the said garment.

6. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the sternal padding with two breast mound prostheses component is lightweight.

7. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the said garment is machine washable.

8. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the said garment is machine dryable.

9. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the said sternal padding with two breast mound prostheses component offers the wearer of the said garment two appropriately placed breast mound prostheses within their garment.

10. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the said garment is available in different sizes to accommodate every individual.

11. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the sternal padding with two breast mound prostheses component of the said garment is available in different sizes to accommodate every individual garment.

12. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the sternal padding with two breast mound prostheses component of the said garment is available in varying shapes to accommodate every individual garment.

13. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the said garment present invention is available in different styles of garments to accommodate different desired styles of garments.

14. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the essence of the sternal padding with two breast mound prostheses component remains constant in all styles of garments in that it offers the wearer of the said garment padded protection of the sensitive mastectomy site while exhibiting two breast mounds within their said worn garment.

15. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the said garment offers the convenience of wearing a garment with integral breast mound prostheses.

16. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the sternal padding with two breast mound prostheses component of the said garment is permanently sewn into the said garment.

17. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the said garment contains no broad band elastic.

18. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the said garment has no shelf bra.

19. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the sternal padding component of the said garment may vary and be of any thickness in order to accommodate every individual wearing the garment present invention.

20. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the breast mound prostheses component of the said garment may vary and be of any thickness in order to accommodate every individual wearing the garment present invention.

21. The garment according to claim 1, wherein no additional breast prostheses are needed within this said garment present invention to a have natural looking breast mound appearance while wearing this said garment present invention.

22. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the sternal padding with two breast mound prostheses component of the said garment is of a lightweight foam or similar material.

23. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the sternal padding with two breast mound prostheses resides within the garment and does not directly touch the skin of the individual wearing the said garment.

24. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the said garment offers the bilateral mastectomy patient an instant bilateral breast mound appearance when wearing the said garment present invention.

25. The garment according to claim 1, wherein the said garment present invention is unique in its attributes as a quick solution intended to help the bilateral mastectomy patient, or other, desiring to restore or gain a natural looking breast mound appearance in clothingcomfortably, safely and conveniently.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] FIG. 1 is an illustration of one representation of the garment present invention;

[0006] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the padding component of the invention which will be sewn into the garment present invention thereof;

[0007] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the padding component of the invention which will be sewn into the garment present invention thereof;

[0008] FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the padding component of the invention which will be sewn into the garment present invention thereof;

[0009] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the padding component of the invention which will be sewn into the garment present invention, the opposite being a mirror image thereof;

[0010] FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the padding component of the invention which will be sewn into the garment present invention thereof;

[0011] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the breast mound prosthesis component of the invention which will be sewn into the garment present invention thereof;

[0012] FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of a variation in shape of the padding component of the invention which will be sewn into the garment present invention thereof;

[0013] FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of a variation in shape of the padding component of the invention which will be sewn into the garment present invention thereof;

[0014] FIG. 10 is a front elevation view of a disassembled, alternative formation of the padding component of the invention consisting of two, separate breast mound prostheses and one piece of padded fabric stabilizer which are intended to be sewn together forming one piece, if alternately, one, fully developed piece of the enhanced and contoured foam padding with two, integral breast mound prostheses is not available to be manufactured for the garment present invention thereof;

[0015] FIG. 11 is a front view of the garment present invention thereof;

[0016] FIG. 12 is a front view of the padding component of the invention sewn onto an inner, middle layer of the garment present invention thereof;

[0017] FIG. 13 is a front view of the garment present invention with the front layer of the said garment present invention removed thereof; and,

[0018] FIG. 14 is an illustration of the 3 layers of the garment present inventionfront layer, middle layer with the single piece of enhanced and contoured foam padding with two, integral breast mound prostheses and the back layer of one of the representations of the garment present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] While this invention is invariable in its nature and essence that of being a garment with an enhanced and contoured lightweight foam padding with two, integral breast mound prostheses which are permanently sewn into this said garment for the mastectomy patient, this said garment invention is able to take on different shapes and sizes in order to properly accommodate any and all individuals wearing this invention who are seeking to restore or gain a natural looking breast mound appearance in a quick, convenient and comfortable fashion. The garment invention always includes a front layer, middle layer with a single piece of enhanced and contoured foam padding with two, integral breast mound prostheses and a back layer. All three layers are sewn together, appropriately, to form one garment present invention.

[0020] One representation of various styles of the said garment present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. This representation in FIG. 1 includes a front layer 25, a middle layer 30 with a sewn on single piece of enhanced and contoured foam padding with two, integral breast mound prostheses 40 and a back layer 55. The front layer 25 can be of any style of a garment. The middle layer 30 is always a cropped piece of material which mimics the front layer 25 design and it is preferably made up of a soft 95%-100% cotton material to comfort the skin. The single piece of enhanced and contoured foam padding with two, integral breast mound prostheses 40 is always sewn onto the said middle layer 30 so that the front of the breast mound prostheses 60 or 45 on the padding 40 or 50 face the inside of the front layer 25 of the garment. This padding 40 consists of two, integral breast mound prostheses 60 or 45 which measure between to 1 in thickness at the apex 85 of the breast mound prosthesis 60 or 45 and gradually tapers down in thickness towards the perimeter 65 of the breast mound prosthesis 60 or 45, measuring no more than in thickness. The mid-section 70 of the padding 40 measures between 3/16 to thick but the top perimeter 75 and bottom perimeter 80 of the mid-section 70 is no more than in thickness. The back layer 55 of the said garment present invention can also be of any style or design. The front layer 25, the middle layer 30 with padding 40 and back layer 55 are sewn together, appropriately to produce one representation of the said garment present invention. The breast mound prostheses are thicker than the typical bra cup pad making them more natural to the touch and more durable in keeping their shape. The mid section of the invention is foam padding making the invention helpful in protecting the sensitive mastectomy site. The mid section of the invention is either molded and created within a single piece of enhanced and contoured foam padding or an appropriate piece of foam fabric stabilizer is sewn between the two, separate breast mound prostheses to become one continuous piece of enhanced and contoured foam padding. While a full and complete description of the garment present invention has been announced in accordance with the patent statues, it should be acknowledged that modifications can be made without deviating from the essence and spirit of the following claims.