Abstrict The present invention concerns a bra for the support and compression
of the breasts of a woman suffering from post-partum breast engorgement,
enlargement, or other conditions of the breasts. The bra includes
a front panel connected to a back panel forming a garment. The garment
is separable and includes connectors at the separation. The connectors
are selectively connectable to provide an adjustable girth size
of the garment. Variation in the girth size provides adjustable
compression. The present invention also concerns warm or cold compresses
in combination with a bra for the support and compression of breasts.
Claims What is claimed is:
1. A bra supporting and compressing breasts comprising:
a garment having a lower edge; and
a compressing member disposed along the lower edge comprising
a first connecting member attached to a first position along a
perimeter of the lower edge,
a second connecting member attached to a second position along
the perimeter of the lower edge opposable to the first connecting
member,
the first connecting member being connectable to the second connecting
member at a selectable position along the second connecting member
such that a girth of the garment is selectively changeable thereby
providing adjustable compression of the breasts,
said bra including one of a cooling member and warming member in
adjoining relationship with said bra, said member including a container
enclosing a cooling and warming solution, said member being formable
when frozen such that the member is conformable substantially to
a shape of a body of the wearer of the bra, with said member being
removably positionable inside said bra, said garment further comprising
an inside layer and an outside layer in adjoining relationship with
said inside layer, said bra further including a right end and a
left end adjacent to the right end, the right end and the left end
defining a separation in the support, a third connecting member
attached to the right end, and a fourth connecting member attached
to the left end opposable to the third connecting member, the third
connecting member being selectively connectable to the fourth connecting
member.
2. A bra according to claim 1 wherein the garment further comprises
a back panel, and a front panel having portions connected to the
back panel.
3. A bra according to claim 1 wherein the garment is fabricated
from a resilient material.
4. A bra according to claim 1 wherein the garment is fabricated
from an elastic material.
5. A bra according to claim 1 wherein the inside layer is fabricated
from irradiated filament fibers, and the outside layer is fabricated
from single filament, open-waved fibers.
6. A bra according to claim 1 wherein the garment further comprises
a right enveloping cup disposed in the garment so as to substantially
envelop a right breast when the bra is worn by a wearer, and a left
enveloping cup disposed in the garment spaced laterally from the
right enveloping cup so as to substantially envelop a left breast
when the bra is worn by the wearer.
7. A bra according to claim 1 wherein the garment further comprises
a left garment side disposed in the garment, a right garment side
disposed in the garment and adjacent to the left garment side, the
left garment side and the right garment side defining a separation
in the garment.
8. A bra according to claim 7 wherein the first connecting member
is attached to the right garment side, and the second connecting
member is attached to the left garment side.
9. A bra according to claim 1 wherein one of the cooling member
and the warming member further comprises a covering having an opening.
10. The bra as claimed in claim 1 wherein the container further
comprises a shell for said cooling and warming solution which is
confined by the shell, the cooling and warming solution comprising
a solution of 85% water and 15% glycol.
Description BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bras and, more particularly, to
a bra that compresses and supports the breasts of a woman having
post-partum breast engorgement, enlargement, or other conditions
of the breasts.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the unavoidable consequences of pregnancy and child birth
is post-partum breast engorgement and enlargement. Women suffering
from such conditions experience pain and discomfort of the breasts.
The pain is acute particularly for women that choose not to nurse.
Presently, the options available to women and their doctors for
treatment are limited.
Lactation suppressants prevent engorgement and, consequently, concomitant
discomfort. The lactation suppressant bromocriptine mesylate, however,
marketed under the trade name Parlodel, was taken off the market
by the manufacturer. It had been criticized by the Food and Drug
Administration in light of the correlation between the drug and
seizures, strokes, and heart attacks.
Without safe, available pharmacological treatments, doctors presently
recommend ice packs or warm baths. These treatments, however, are
limited practically. Baths and ice packs may be unavailable or inappropriate
for all situations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a bra that eases
the pain and discomfort of breast engorgement or other conditions
without the side effects associated with pharmacological treatments.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bra
that eases such discomfort while being usable in all situations.
Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bra
usable with other conditions or situations including, but not limited
to, breast mastitis and sports activity.
To achieve these objectives in accordance with the present invention,
the bra provides gentle, adjustable compression and support of the
breasts thereby relieving the pain and discomfort associated with
breast engorgement. The bra allows the wearer to select the level
of compression that best suits her needs and allows her to selectively
incorporate warmth or coolness, as would be accomplished with baths
and ice packs, with the adjustable compression. Further, the bra
substantially and individually envelops the breasts providing additional
relief from discomfort. Thus, the bra according to the present invention
eases the pain associated with breast engorgement without the side
effects associated with lactation suppressing drugs or the inconvenience
of baths and ice packs.
In accordance with the present invention, a front panel and a back
panel are provided and joined at the sides thereby forming a garment.
Two connecting members are disposed in the garment and positioned
to be opposable and selectively connectable. The two connectors
can be connected at various positions thereby allowing variation
in the girth of the bra. This feature provides adjustable compression
of the breasts.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the front
and back panels are fabricated from a two layer material. Both layers
are resilient and thus provide compression and envelopment of the
breasts. The front panel is separated centrally and has cooperating
connectors attached to each side of the front panel forming the
separation. Preferably, the connectors are fashioned from velcro,
registered trademark of Velcro Corporation relating to fastening
devices incorporating loops of fabric on one strip of material and
hooked fibers carried by another strip of material. Both velcro
connectors are sufficiently wide to allow the connectors to be connected
at various positions thereby affording adjustable compression. Connected
between top portions of the front and back panels are straps that
provide additional support of the breasts. Connected to the lower
edge of the garment formed by the front and back panels is a support.
The support is a narrow strip of material that also includes velcro
connectors that are connectable at various positions. This variable
connection in the support allows the support member to be sized
to the girth of the wearer. Finally, in the preferred embodiment,
the present invention includes a specific compress set which may
be heated, cooled or frozen before placement against the inside
surface of the front panel which can support the warm or cold compresses.
Other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention
as well as the methods of use of related elements will become more
apparent upon consideration of the following description and the
appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein
like reference numbers designate corresponding elements in the various
figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a breast engorgement bra
in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of a breast engorgement bra in
accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a breast engorgement bra in accordance
with the present invention showing connecting members in a partially
unconnected position;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the material of the bra of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a warm or cold compress in combination
with the bra of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a covering for the warm or cold
compress of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
As shown in FIG. 1 a preferred embodiment of a breast engorgement
bra in accordance with the present invention is designated generally
by the reference number 10. A front panel 12 is provided. A back
panel 14 is connected to portions of the front panel 12 thereby
forming a garment 24 having a lower edge 26. The garment thus forms
the main element of the breast engorgement bra. While the preferred
embodiment of the present invention includes front and back panels,
one skilled in the art will recognize readily that the garment 24
may also be fabricated from a single loop of material. As shown
further in FIGS. 1 and 2 straps 28 are provided. End portions of
the straps 28 are connected to top edges of the garment 24. Thus,
each of the straps 28 are positioned generally parallel to each
other and run generally fore and aft in reference to a wearer of
the bra. While straps 28 are considered preferable, the broadest
concept of the breast engorgement bra does not necessarily include
straps.
The breast engorgement bra, as presently preferred, also includes
a support 30 positioned below and connected to the lower edge 26
of the garment 24. The support 30 may have an annular configuration.
Preferably, as described below, the support member 30 has a separation.
In the preferred embodiment, a support top edge 32 of the support
30 is connected continuously to the garment 24 along the lower edge
26. When the breast engorgement bra is worn, the support 30 is positioned
below the breasts of the wearer. As shown in FIG. 3 the support
30 includes both a support left end 34 and a support right end 36
of which both have connecting members attached. Those connecting
members are described in more detail below. Notably, in the preferred
embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 the support 30 is longer than a girth of
the garment 24. Similarly, while the support member 30 is considered
preferable, the broadest concept of the invention does not necessarily
include the support 30.
As stated above, an object of the present invention is to provide
adjustable compression of the breasts of the wearer of the breast
engorgement bra. In light of that object, various structure of the
breast engorgement bra is provided. First, the material and arrangement
of the front panel 12 provides compression. Second, the connectors,
as described below, provide adjustable compression.
In the preferred embodiment, the front panel 12 and/or the back
panel 14 are fabricated from two layers of elastic or resilient
material as shown in FIG. 4. An outside layer 40 is fabricated from
irradiated, that is, head-set filament fibers having biaxial resiliency.
Such a fabric provides the feel of natural fibers like cotton while
also providing the strength of nylon. An inside layer 42 is fabricated
from single filament, open-woven fibers also having biaxial resiliency.
Such a fabric affords a comfortable interface between the wearer
of the breast engorgement bra and the outside layer 40 while also
providing support of the breasts.
As shown in FIG. 3 disposed within the front panel 12 are a left
enveloping cup 52 and a right enveloping cup 54. Those cups are
spaced laterally from each other along a perimeter of the lower
edge of the garment 24. The left enveloping cup 52 is positioned
adjacent to a left side of the front panel 12 and the right enveloping
cup 54 is positioned adjacent to a right side of the front panel
12. When the breast engorgement bra 10 is worn, the right enveloping
cup 54 and the left enveloping cup 52 envelop individually and substantially
the breasts of the wearer providing encapsulating compression of
the breasts. One skilled in the art will recognize readily that
the broadest concept of the invention need not include enveloping
cups. Centrally between the left enveloping cup 52 and the right
enveloping cup 54 a separation in the garment 24 is formed between
a left garment side 58 and a right garment side 60. The separation
allows easier dressing and disrobing of the breast engorgement bra
10. While a separation is provided in the preferred embodiment,
the broadest concept of the present invention need not include a
separation.
As shown in FIG. 3 a compressing member 62 is disposed preferably
in the garment 24 at the separation. The compressing member 62 includes
a first connecting member 64 attached to the right garment side
60 and a second connecting member 66 attached to the left garment
side 58. As one skilled in the art will recognize readily, the compressing
member 62 need not be disposed in the garment 24 at the separation.
For ease of use, however, the first connecting member 64 and the
second connecting member 66 are opposable conveniently when attached
to the right garment side 60 and the left garment side 58. To provide
adjustable compression, both the first connecting member 64 and
the second connecting member 66 have a width along the perimeter
of the lower edge 26. The first connecting member 64 and the second
connecting member 66 are connectable selectively at various positions
along the width thereby changing the girth of the garment 24. In
the preferred embodiment, the first connecting member 64 and the
second connecting member 66 are fabricated from Velcro.
As shown in FIG. 3 the support 30 further includes a third connecting
member 70 attached to the support right end 36 and a fourth connecting
member 72 attached to the support left end 34. In this preferred
embodiment, a separation in the support 30 is provided between the
support right end 36 and the support left end 34 such that the separation
in the support 30 is positioned below the separation in the garment
24. As explained above, the support right end 36 overlaps the support
left end 34 and extends past the right garment side 60. As constructed,
the third connecting member 70 and fourth connecting member 72 are
opposable and can be attached selectively to various positions to
encompass a girth of the wearer of the breast engorgement bra 10.
In the preferred embodiment, the third connecting member 70 and
the fourth connecting member 72 are fabricated from Velcro.
To further ease the discomfort of breast engorgement, the present
invention provides cold and warm compresses in combination with
the bra. The cold compress is conformable to a shape of the body
of a wearer of the bra even when frozen. As shown in FIG. 5 either
a warming member or a cooling member 74 is supported removably by
an inside surface 76 of the front panel 12. The warming member and
the cooling member 74 include a shell 78 that contains a warming
and cooling solution, respectively. In the present embodiment, the
warming solution is the same as the cooling solution. Thus, the
cooling member can function as both the cooling member and the warming
member, and vice versa. Preferably, such a solution includes 85%
water and 15% glycol. With that composition, the cooling member
74 is conformable to the shape of a body of the wearer even when
frozen. As shown in FIG. 6 the warming member or the cooling member
74 may be inserted into an opening in a cotton covering 80 at the
discretion of the user. As one skilled in the art will recognize
readily, in the broadest concept of the invention, the warming member
or the cooling member 74 may be used with traditional bras, or the
breast engorgement bra 10 may be used without warm or cold compresses.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the warming-member
or the cooling member 74 is used in combination with the breast
engorgement bra 10. The preferred operation of the breast engorgement
bra 10 will now be described. The wearer places the breast engorgement
bra 10 on their body such that the back panel 14 contacts the wearer's
back and the straps 28 are draped over the wearer's shoulders. The
third connecting member 70 and the fourth connecting member 72 of
the support 30 are connected such that the support 30 encompasses
comfortably the girth of the wearer and is positioned immediately
below the breasts. Thereafter, the first connecting member 64 is
pulled into an opposed position near the second connecting member
66 and connected to the second connecting member 66 such that a
desired level of compression is achieved. The first connecting member
64 and the second connecting member 66 can be repositioned to change
the level of compression at the discretion of the wearer. As a consequence
of the attachment of the first connecting member 64 to the second
connecting member 66 the breasts are enveloped substantially by
the left enveloping cup 52 and the right enveloping cup 54 thereby
providing individual, encapsulating compression of the breasts.
If cold compression is desired, cooling members 74 are placed in
a freezer, for example, until the cooling members 74 reach a desired
temperature. Thereafter, the cooling members 74 are positioned between
the breasts and the inside surface 76 of the front panel 12 and
conformed to the shape of the body of the wearer such that the cooling
members 74 are positioned on each breast from a position under an
arm of the wearer towards a position at the center of the chest
of the wearer thereby covering the top of each breast. Similarly,
if warm compression is desired, warming members are placed in hot
water or a microwave oven, for example, until the warming members
reach a desired temperature. Thereafter, the warming members are
positioned between the breasts and the inside surface 76 of the
front panel 12 and conformed to the shape of the body of the wearer
such that the warming members are positioned in the same manner
as the cooling members 74.
While the invention has been described in connection with the preferred
embodiment, it should be understood readily that the present invention
is not limited to the disclosed embodiment. Rather, the present
invention is intended to cover various equivalent arrangements including,
for example, a breast engorgement bra and other arrangements included
within the scope of the appended claims.
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