Abstrict A nursing bra having a support body with a front panel comprised
of two cups with a pocket in each cup for holding moisture absorbing
panels, and a rear panel comprised of two cups with openings in
each cup for nursing a baby. The front and rear panel coexist, forming
a supportive and comfortable bra. The front panel is removably connected
to the rear panel which allows for a portion of the front panel
to be lowered away from the rear panel and accessing the openings
which surround a woman's nipple for nursing. The pockets in the
front panel hold replaceable, moisture absorbing panels that provide
a moisture barrier between the woman's body and any other garment
the woman may be wearing.
Claims What is claims is:
1. A nursing bra comprised of:
a body having a front panel and a rear panel, said front panel
being the same size as said rear panel, said body having at least
two ends;
at least two moisture absorbing panels;
a pair of straps connected to said rear panel and removably connected
to said front panel by at least two removable connecting means;
a rear connecting means for connecting each said end of said body;
and
at least two holding means in said front panel for holding said
at least two moisture absorbing panels;
wherein said bra provides support and a moisture absorbing means
for a person wearing said bra.
2. The nursing bra of claim 1 wherein:
said front panel having a right front cup and a left front cup,
each front cup having one of said holding means for holding said
moisture absorbing panels, said holding means being a pocket;
said rear panel having a right rear cup and a left rear cup, each
rear cup having an opening therein;
said front panel being connected to said rear panel by a seam along
the bottom edge of each panel; and
said front panel removably connected to said rear panel by said
removable means.
3. A nursing bra, comprised of:
a body having a front panel and a rear panel, said front panel
having two cups, each cup having a pocket for holding a moisture
absorbing panel in each pocket;
at least two moisture absorbing panels;
said rear panel having two cups, each cup having an opening formed
therein for surrounding and exposing a nipple portion of a person
wearing said bra;
said front panel having two front panel wing portions;
said rear panel having two rear panel wing portions;
said front panel being connected to said rear panel along the bottom
of said body and removably connected to said rear panel and said
straps by two connecting means;
a rear connecting means for connecting said front panel wing portions
and said rear panel wing portions to each other; and
two straps connected to said front panel and said rear panel;
wherein said bra provides support for a wearer's breasts and moisture
absorbing means for fluids from said breasts.
4. A nursing bra comprised of:
a body having a front panel and a rear panel, said front panel
being the same size as said rear panel, said body having two ends;
at least two moisture absorbing panels;
a pair of straps connected to said rear panel and said straps connected
to said front panel by at least two connecting means;
a rear connecting means for connecting each end of said body; and
said front panel holding said at least two moisture absorbing panels;
said front panel having a connecting means that can be disconnected
and allow access to said rear panel of said body;
wherein said bra provides support and a moisture absorbing means
for a person wearing said bra.
5. The nursing bra of claim 4 wherein:
said front panel having a right front cup and a left front cup,
each front cup having a pocket for holding said moisture absorbing
panels;
said rear panel having a right rear cup and a left rear cup, each
rear cup having an opening therein;
said front panel having two wing portions;
said rear panel having two wing portions;
said front panel being connected to said rear panel at said wing
portions;
said connecting means being located in the front of said front
panel between said right front cup and said left front cup;
wherein said front panel and said rear panel mating coexist to
provide said support and comfort.
6. The nursing bra of claim 4 wherein:
said front panel having a right front cup and a left front cup,
each front cup having a pocket for holding said moisture absorbing
panels;
said rear panel having a right rear cup and a left rear cup, each
rear cup having an opening therein;
said front panel having two wing portions;
said rear panel having two wing portions;
said front panel being connected to said rear panel between said
right front cup and said left front cup;
said connecting means being located on each of said wing portions
of said front panel;
wherein said front panel and said rear panel mating coexist and
said connecting means can be disconnected allowing access to either
the right rear cup or the left rear cup whichever is preferred.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to nursing bras for women, and more particular
bras that provide both support and moisture protection for nursing
mothers during periods of lactation.
2. Description of Related Art
The current state of the art provides numerous types of bras for
use while nursing infants. Such bras have been patented to Becker
(U.S. Pat. No. 2501860), Alberts (U.S. Pat. No. 2679048) and
La Rue (U.S. Pat. No. 2121088) and one issued to Strauss (U.S.
Pat. No. 206906) for a corset that allows for breast feeding. Patent
issue to Mattson (U.S. Pat. No. 1094158) and Fowler (U.S. Pat.
No. 5326305) both disclose garments with moisture shields to protect
from unexpected leakage of lacteal fluids. And patents issued to
Richards (U.S. Pat. No. 2748771) and Morets et al. disclose a
combination of supportive nursing bras having a moisture absorbing
pad. The patent issued to Weber-Unger (U.S. Pat. No. 4164228)
is for a pad to be used with a nursing bra. While all of these references
have helped to expand the field of bras some of them disclose a
supportive bra, having a removable absorbent pad as claimed in the
present invention. The publication, "Clothing and Textiles
Research Journal", Vol. 16 #3 1998 pages 107-108 and 113
also disclose a nursing bra with a removable front panel that allows
access to the nipple portion of the bra wearers breast.
It is common for women nursing infant children to experience periods
of leakage. Such periods can be untimely and embarrassing. To protect
women from such unwanted and inconvenient experiences, the present
invention expands the current art in this area by disclosing a bra
that is supportive while offering access to the bra wearers breast
for nursing as well as removable moisture protection which can easily
be replaced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In objective of the present invention is to provide a woman's undergarment
that is supportive.
Another objective is to provide a bra that is comfortable and unobtrusive
when being worn.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide an
undergarment having a moisture protective barrier which is easily
and quickly replaceable.
And yet another objective of the present invention is to provide
a bra that allows for nursing an infant.
These and other objectives are achieved by providing a bra having
a support body with two panels; a rear panel having two cups with
opening for nursing and the front panel having two cups with pockets
for holding moisture absorbing panels. The body has two straps for
supporting the bra on the shoulders of the person wearing the bra.
Each panel has two front attachment means for attaching the panels
together and with the straps. The body also has a rear attachment
means for connecting two rear ends or wing portions of the body
together. The body is composed of one main portion with two rear
wing portions which connect together on the backside of the person
wearing the bra. There are also two moisture absorbent panels that
are inserted into the two pockets and remain in place until removed.
The aforementioned objectives will be accomplished as well as other
features and advantages of the present invention will become more
apparent from the following detailed description. The description
of the present invention discloses, in conjunction with the drawings
which illustrate by way of example, the principles and of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the nursing bra.
FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the rear portion only of the
nursing bra.
FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the nursing bra with a front
panel partially folded down for illustrative purposes and exposing
a portion of the rear panel.
FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the
nursing bra.
FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a third embodiment of the nursing
bra, the opposite side being a mirror image thereof.
FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the nursing bra.
FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of a moisture absorbing panel.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
For a more detailed description of the present invention, reference
is made to the figures.
FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of a nursing bra 10 having
a body 20 with two straps 30 40 two rear wing portions 50 60
and a rear connecting means 70 for connecting the two rear wing
portions 50 60. The connective means is any conventional type known
in the art such as hook and loop fasteners, snaps, buttons, hooks,
clasps and etc. Each strap 30 40 is connected to the body 20 in
two separate locations, one on a rear wing portion 50 60 and one
on the front portion 100 of the body 20. Where each strap 30 40
is connected to a rear wing portion 50 60 the strap is permanently
attached. Where each strap 30 40 is connected to the front portion
100 it is permanently connected to a front panel 110 and removable
attached to a rear panel 20 of the body 20. The body 20 is comprised
of two panels: a front panel 110 and a rear panel 120. Both front
panel 110 and rear panel 120 have the same overall shape and size
and lie in communication with each other to form one supportive
bra. The front panel 110 has two cups, a right front cup 130 and
a left front cup 140 each cup 130 140 having a holding means such
as a pocket or slot 150 for holding a moisture absorbing panel 220
for absorbing leaking fluids from the bra wearers breast. The front
panel 110 also has supportive seams 160 stitched around each cup
130 140 through each cup 130 140 around each pocket 150 and
on each wing 50 60 between each pocket and each end 71 72 of the
connecting means 70. The front panel 110 may also have a decorative
trim 170 if desired. Cup 130 and cup 140 of the front panel 110
are removably connected to strap 30 and strap 40 respectively of
the bra 10 so that each cup 130 140 can be disconnected, either
separately or concurrently, to allow the front panel 110 to be folded
down to expose the rear panel 120 and the wearers breast as it protrudes
and is exposed through the rear panel 120.
FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the rear panel 120 of the body 20
of the bra 10. The rear panel is comprised of two cups, a right
rear cup 180 and a left rear cup 190. Each cup 180 190 has an opening
200 that encompasses the nipple portion of each breast of the person
wearing the bra. The opening 200 surrounds the nipple portion of
the breast providing support to breast while still allowing access
for feeding purposes. The rear panel 120 of the body 20 extends
out the full width of the body 20 hence also having rear wing portions
55 65 which coexist in a mating fashion with rear wing portions
50 60 of the front panel 110. In other words the rear panel 120
and the front panel 110 are similar to two separate and complete
bras that are matingly connected or coexist with one another to
form one complete and supportive bra 10. In the preferred embodiment,
the front panel 110 and the rear panel 120 are sewn together along
the bottom edge
of each panel with seam 210. However, in alternative embodiments,
it is possible for the front panel 110 and the rear panel 120 to
be sewn together along either the top edge or at the sides of the
bra 10 and the bottom edges of each panel left separate from the
other panel. This may occur when the front panel 110 is removably
connected at the middle of the front panel 110 or at the sides of
the front panel 110 as described in later embodiments.
FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the nursing bra 10 wherein
a portion of the left front cup 1 40 is disconnected at connector
80 from the strap 40 and folded forward exposing the right rear
cup 180 and the opening 200 in the rear panel 120. A portion of
the pocket 150 and the absorbing panel 220 of the front panel 110
of the bra 10 are also shown in the folded down portion of the front
panel 110.
FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the
nursing bra. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment
by the type and location of connecting means used to connect the
front panel 110 of the bra with the rear panel 120. This second
embodiment also has a connecting means 85 located in the middle
of the front panel 110 of the bra in addition to connectors 8090
at the top portion of the bra where the both the front panel 110
and rear panel 120 are connected to the straps 3040. This middle
connecting means 85 can be of a variety of conventional types of
fasteners such as, but not limited to, snaps, buttons, zippers,
string ties or hook and loop fasteners such as VELCRO. Having the
middle connecting means 85 in the middle of the bra allows for easy
access to the rear panel 120 yet is convenient and comfortable.
The front panel 110 can be either permanently or removably connected
to the rear panel 120 at a number of locations such as: along the
bottom as in the first embodiment; along both sides of the body
20 in the area that would be under the wearer' arms also known as
the rear wing portions 5060 of the front panel 110 and 5565 of
the rear panel 120; in the back where the rear connecting means
70 is located; in the front of the bra 10 at the top with connecting
means 8090; or it can simply be tacked, snapped or otherwise attached,
in various locations of the body 20 that would enable the front
panel 110 and the rear panel 120 to remain matingly matched yet
accessibility to the rear panel 120 for nursing.
FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a third embodiment of the nursing
bra, the opposite side being a mirror image thereof. This third
embodiment is similar to the first two embodiments and also has
a the removable connecting means 95 located on the rear wing portions
5060 of the front panel 110 of the bra 10. Again, the side connecting
means 95 is of a conventional type such as those listed for the
middle connecting means 85 with their location being one on each
side of the bra instead of the front portion 100. Locating the side
connecting means 95 on both sides of the bra allows for easy access
and comfort.
FIG. 6 is a rear perspective of the bra 10. The rear panel 120
of the bra 10 is connected to strap 30 with connector 90 and connected
to strap 40 with connector 80. Connectors 80 90 are of conventional
connectors known in the art of bras which allow for a multiple connection
to occur at one location. In this case the rear panel 120 is connected
to the straps 30 40 of the bra 10 while the front panel 110 is
removably connected to the straps 30 40 and rear panel 120 at the
same locations. The rear panel 120 also has supportive seams 160
that extend from wings 55 65 to the openings 200 and also between
the opening 200. Openings 200 are apertures in the rear panel 120
wherein the material has been removed that allow for a window through
which the nipple portion of each breast protrudes allowing access
to the nipple for nursing a baby.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the moisture absorbing panel 220.
While the moisture absorbing panel 220 in the preferred embodiment
is circular in shape, so as to match the same shape as the pockets
150 any shape that is convenient may be used as is also the case
with the shape of the pockets 150. In other words, should one desire,
the shape of the pockets 150 could be square, rectangular, triangular
or any other appropriate shape and the moisture absorbing panel
220 will be the same corresponding shape such as square, rectangular,
triangular, and etc.
The nursing bra 10 described herein and illustrated in the drawings
is subject to other advantages and modifications that may be apparent
to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the
spirit and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the invention
is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and their
equivalents.
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