Abstrict A bra for use while pumping breast milk including a slot in the
breast section of the bra for use with a breast pump funnel and
a padded area surrounding each slot to support the funnel. Optionally,
the bra may be provided as part of a kit for pumping breast milk
that includes a pump funnel adapted for use in pumping breast milk
and a bra. The bra has a slot in the approximate center of each
breast section and a padded area surrounding each slot. Each slot
is adapted to provide access for the breast pump funnel, and each
padded area is adapted to provide extra support for the pump funnel
while engaged. A method of pumping breast milk includes the steps
of wearing the bra having slots and padded breast pump funnel supports;
inserting a pump funnel through one slot; and pumping breast milk
through the funnel.
Claims What is claimed is:
1. A kit for a system for pumping breast milk comprising: a pump
funnel adapted for use in pumping breast milk; a bra comprising:
a breast-covering section having an exterior with a slot formed
therein, wherein said slot is positioned to provide access to a
nipple of a wearer, and wherein each slot is adapted to provide
access for the breast pump funnel; and a padded area surrounding
said slot, wherein said padded area comprises a pad cover having
a slot formed therein affixed to said exterior of said breast-covering
section and padding having a slot formed therein removably secured
by said pad cover against said exterior of said breast-covering
section, and wherein said padded area is adapted to provide extra
support for said pump funnel when said pump funnel is used on a
wearer of said bra and said padding can be inserted and removed
through said slot in said pad cover.
2. The kit of claim 1 wherein said bra is composed of cotton.
3. The kit of claim 1 wherein said padding is cotton filler.
4. A bra for use while pumping breast milk comprising: a pair of
breast-covering sections, each of said breast-covering sections
having an exterior with a slot formed therethrough, wherein said
slots are positioned to provide access to nipples of a wearer, and
wherein said slots are adapted to provide access for the breast
pump funnel; and a padded area surrounding each of said slots, wherein
said padded area comprises a pad cover having a slot formed therein
affixed to said exterior of said breast-covering section and padding
having a slot formed therein removably secured by said pad cover
against said exterior of said breast-covering section, and wherein
said padded area is adapted to provide extra support for a pump
funnel of a breast pump when the breast pump is used by a wearer
of said bra and said padding can be inserted and removed through
said slot in said pad cover.
5. The bra of claim 4 wherein said bra is composed of cotton.
6. The bra of claim 4 wherein said padding pad is cotton filler.
7. A method of pumping breast milk comprising the steps of: wearing
a bra having: a breast-covering section, said breast-covering section
having an exterior with a slot formed therethrough, wherein said
slot is positioned to provide access to a nipple, and wherein said
slot is adapted to provide access for a funnel of a breast pump;
and a padded area surrounding said slot, wherein said padded area
comprises a pad cover having a slot formed therein affixed to said
exterior of said breast-covering section and padding having a slot
formed therein removably secured by said pad cover against said
exterior of said breast-covering section, and wherein said padded
area is adapted to provide extra support for the pump funnel and
said pad can be inserted and removed through said slot in said pad
cover; inserting a funnel adapted for pumping breast milk through
said slots; and pumping breast milk through the funnel.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the bra is composed of cotton.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein said padding is cotton filler.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a maternity bra for use in connection
with pumping breast milk. The maternity bra has particular utility
in connection with easily pumping breast milk while the maternity
bra is being worn by the mother.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Maternity bras are desirable for meeting the special needs of lactating
mothers.
The use of different maternity bras is known in the prior art.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6213840 to Han discloses a hands-free
breast pump support bra and system using a highly elastic material.
However, the Han '840 patent does not include a padded area structure
as advantageously found in the present invention, and has further
drawbacks of requiring highly elastic material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5575768 to Lockridge et al. discloses a device
and kit for supporting a breast shield and related pump equipment
that uses a mounting element of elastic bands and loops for providing
support. However, the '768 patent does not include a slot and padded
area structure, as utilized in the present invention.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5514166 to Silver et al. discloses a
different device and method for supporting a breast shield and related
pump equipment that implements straps and a bulky flap structure
that is very different from the slot and padded area of the present
invention.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6247996 to Fields discloses a breast
milk pump support harness that includes detachable milk pump support
assemblies that are also very different from the elegant slot and
padded area solution of the present invention. Lastly, U.S. Pat.
No. 6004186 to Penny discloses an apparatus for securing suction
devices to a nursing mother's breasts. However, the Penny '186 patent
is a halter top, and not a maternity bra. It also has the additional
deficiency of using round openings rather than slots.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular
objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe
a maternity bra that allows breast milk to be pumped conveniently
and easily in a hand-free manner by the mother while experiencing
the comfort of a padded area as in the present invention.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved maternity bra that
can be used for hands-free use of a breast pump. In this regard,
the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this
respect, the maternity bra according to the present invention substantially
departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior
art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for
the purpose of improved comfort and convenience of breast pumping
for lactating mothers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types
of other maternity bras now present in the prior art, the present
invention provides an improved maternity bra, and overcomes the
above-mentioned disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art. As
such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be
described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and
improved maternity bra and method which has all the advantages of
the prior art mentioned heretofore and many novel features that
result in a maternity bra which is not anticipated, rendered obvious,
suggested, or even implied by the prior art, either alone or in
any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a kit
for a system for pumping breast milk that includes a pump funnel
adapted for use in pumping breast milk and a bra. The bra has a
slot in the approximate center of each breast section and a padded
area surrounding each slot. Each slot is adapted to provide access
for the breast pump funnel, and each padded area is adapted to provide
extra support for the pump funnel while engaged.
Additionally, the invention encompasses a bra for use while pumping
breast milk including a slot in the approximate center of each breast
section and a padded area surrounding each slot. Each slot is adapted
to provide access for the breast pump funnel, and each padded area
is adapted to provide extra support for the pump funnel while engaged.
Finally, also included is a method of pumping breast milk that
includes the steps of wearing a bra having a slot in the approximate
center of each breast section and a padded area surrounding each
slot, such that each slot is adapted to provide access for the breast
pump funnel and each padded area is adapted to provide extra support
for the pump funnel while engaged; inserting a pump funnel through
the slot, wherein the pump funnel is adapted for pumping breast
milk; and pumping breast milk through the funnel.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important
features of the invention in order that the detailed description
thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that
the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated.
There are, of course, additional features of the invention that
will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter
of the claims attached.
Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention
will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon
a reading of the following detailed description of presently preferred,
but nonetheless illustrative, embodiments of the present invention
when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this
respect, before explaining the current embodiment of the invention
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited
in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements
of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated
in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and
of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is
to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein
are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as
limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception,
upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as
a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems
for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention.
It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including
such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from
the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
new and improved maternity bra that has all of the advantages of
the prior art other maternity bras and breast pump supports and
none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new
and improved maternity bra that may be easily and efficiently manufactured
and marketed.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a
new and improved maternity bra that has a low cost of manufacture
with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is
then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public,
thereby making such maternity bra economically available to the
buying public.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new
maternity bra that provides in the apparatuses and methods of the
prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming
some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with
the various features of novelty that characterize the invention,
are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and
forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of
the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects
attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying
drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred
embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood and objects other than
those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is
given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description
makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the
maternity bra constructed in accordance with the principles of the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the maternity bra of the present
invention being worn and with a breast pump funnel spout inserted
through one of the slots.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the maternity bra of the present
invention being worn, with a breast pump funnel spout inserted through
one of the slots, and with a breast pump and baby bottle connected
to the funnel.
FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of the maternity bra of the present
invention being worn and with a breast pump funnel spout inserted
through the cross-sectioned slot.
The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout
the various figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-4 a
preferred embodiment of the maternity bra of the present invention
is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral 10.
In FIG. 1 a new and improved maternity bra 10 of the present invention
for comfortable hands-free breast pumping is illustrated and will
be described. More particularly, the maternity bra 10 has two slots
12 one in each bra cup or breast covering 30. Each slot 12 is intended
to be located in approximate alignment with the wearer's nipple.
While this location may vary from implementation to implementation
depending upon the shape of the bra cup 30 and the amount of covering
each bra cup 30 provides, in the preferred embodiment, each slot
12 is located in the center of its bra cup 30. Surrounding each
slot 12 is a padded area 14. The padded area 14 consists of a pad
cover 28 affixed to the exterior of each bra cup 30 and padding
32 (not shown) removably enclosed by the pad cover 28 and bra cup
30. The padded areas 14 serve a two-fold function. First, they increase
the comfort of the wearer while wearing the maternity bra 10 and
simultaneously breast pumping. Second, they provided added support
for a breast pump 20 (not shown), thereby improving the hands-free
advantage of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows the maternity bra 10 being worn by a lactating mother
16. A funnel spout 18 has been inserted through the slot 12 so that
it is in position with the wearer's nipple 26 (not shown) for pumping.
Turning to FIG. 3 the kit of the present invention is illustrated
during use. In use, the funnel 18 is inserted through one of the
slots 12 and placed over a nipple 26 (not shown) of the wearer 16.
A breast pump 20 is connected to the funnel 18 for pumping milk
from the nipple (not shown) of the wearer 16 and a container, such
as a baby bottle 22 is connected to the breast pump 20 for receiving
the pumped milk from the wearer 16.
FIG. 4 shows a cross section taken along axis 4--4 of FIG. 2 depicting
the funnel 18 inserted through slot 12 so as to be mated to a breast
24 in alignment with a nipple 26 of a user 16. A padded area 14
is shown, which consists of a pad cover 28 affixed to the exterior
of the bra cup 30 and padding 32 sandwiched between the pad cover
28 and the exterior of the bra cup 30. The padding 32 and bra cup
30 both have slots 12 in them that correspond with the slot 12 in
the pad cover 28. The padded area provides additional support for
funnel 18 and may also provide cosmetic enhancement, and additional
support, comfort and protection for the breasts 24 of a wearer.
The padding 32 may be formed of a cotton filler and be permanently
affixed into said bra or constitute removable filler that can be
inserted and removed through the slot 12 in the pad cover 28.
While a preferred embodiment of the maternity bra has been described
in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations
thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and
scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then,
it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships
for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials,
shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use,
are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art,
and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings
and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed
by the present invention. For example, the maternity bra may be
composed of cotton. Likewise, the slots could be reinforced. The
padded areas may be filled with cotton filler. Alternatively, the
padded areas may contain permanent filler. Likewise, the filler
may be removable.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of
the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications
and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is
not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and
operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications
and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of
the invention.
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