US-12616256-B1 - Breast support garment

US12616256B1US 12616256 B1US12616256 B1US 12616256B1US-12616256-B1

Abstract

A support garment for providing targeted, localized compression in a medial, medial-caudal, or medial-cephalad direction to the breasts of a wearer. The garment includes cups for receiving breasts of a user, a rear panel, and left and right wings connecting the left and right cups to a rear panel. The wings can contain a pocket therein for receiving a pad through a pocket opening in the wings. The pads, when present within the pockets, provide localized, targeted compression in a medial and/or medial-caudal and/or medial cephalad direction to the breasts. Medial compressors including one or more straps also, or alternatively, provide targeted compression in a medial and/or medial-caudal and/or medial-cephalad direction to the breasts. Alternatively, a removable sleeve having an inner pouch with a pad therein can be provided to attach to any garment to provide desired targeted, localized compression to the breasts.

Inventors

Robert H. Eichenberger
Cindy M. Eichenberger

Assignees

Robert H. Eichenberger
Cindy M. Eichenberger

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20250312

Claims (14)

1 . A support garment comprising: a left cup configured to receive a left breast when said support garment is worn by a user, said left cup having a base and a left cup length projection; a right cup configured to receive a right breast when said support garment is worn by a user, said right cup having a base and a right cup length projection; a rear panel; a left wing connecting said left cup to said rear panel, said left wing having a pocket therein, said pocket including a pocket opening configured to receive therethrough a pad; and a right wing connecting said right cup to said rear panel, said right wing having a pocket therein, said pocket including a pocket opening configured to receive therethrough a pad, wherein: at least one of the pocket of the left wing or the pocket of the right wing is located between a midline axis of said support garment and a point that is anteriorly spaced from said midline axis a distance equal to approximately 60 percent of the left cup length projection or the right cup length projection, respectively; and at least one of the pad received in the pocket of the left wing or the pad received in the pocket of the right wing is substantially planar with a relatively constant thickness and having an overall shape selected from the group consisting of polygonal, circular, oval, cupped, and anatomically curved, and such that said overall shape further comprises a cutout on an end of the respective pad.
2 . The support garment of claim 1 wherein a first end of said at least one of the pad received in the pocket of the left wing or the pad received in the pocket of the right wing is located between said midline axis and a point that is approximately 6 cm anteriorly spaced from said midline axis.
3 . The support garment of claim 2 wherein a second end of said pocket of said at least one of the pad received in the pocket of the left wing or the pad received in the pocket of the right wing is located between said base of said left cup or said base of said right cup, respectively, and a point that is anteriorly spaced from said midline axis a distance equal to approximately 60% of the left cup length projection.
4 . The support garment of claim 1 , wherein said at least one of the pad received in the pocket of the left wing or the pad received in the pocket of the right wing is configured to impart a targeted, localized compression force having a medial component thereof to the left breast or the right breast, respectively, of a user when said support garment is worn by the user.
5 . The support garment of claim 1 further comprising a closure mechanism configured to alternately connect and disconnect two portions of said support garment.
6 . The support garment of claim 5 wherein said closure mechanism is located at said rear panel.
7 . The support garment of claim 1 further comprising a center panel connecting said left cup to said right cup.
8 . The support garment of claim 7 further comprising a closure mechanism located at said center panel.
9 . The support garment of claim 1 further comprising a lower band connecting said left wing, said right wing, and said rear panel.
10 . A support garment comprising: a left cup configured to receive a left breast when said support garment is worn by a user, said left cup having a left cup length projection; a right cup configured to receive a right breast when said support garment is worn by a user, said right cup having a right cup length projection; a center panel further comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion includes a first closure mechanism portion thereon and wherein said second portion includes a second closure mechanism portion thereon configured to mate with said first closure mechanism portion and to thereby selectively couple and decouple said second portion to said first portion; a rear panel; a left wing connecting said left cup to said rear panel; a left strap connecting said left cup to said rear panel and spaced away from said left wing in a cephalad direction to create a first arm hole therebetween; a right wing connecting said right cup to said rear panel; and a right strap connecting said right cup to said rear panel and spaced away from said right wing in a cephalad direction to create a second arm hole therebetween, wherein: said left wing further comprises a pocket therein located between a midline axis of said support garment and a point that is anteriorly spaced from said midline axis a distance equal to approximately 60 percent of the left cup length projection, said pocket including a pocket opening configured to receive therethrough a pad; said right wing further comprises a pocket therein located between a midline of said support garment and a point that is anteriorly spaced from said midline axis a distance equal to approximately 60 percent of the right cup length projection, said pocket including a pocket opening configured to receive therethrough a pad; and at least one of the pad received in the pocket of the left wing or the pad received in the pocket of the right wing is substantially planar with a relatively constant thickness and having an overall shape selected from the group consisting of polygonal, circular, oval, cupped, and anatomically curved, and such that said overall shape further comprises a cutout on an end of the respective pad.
11 . The support garment of claim 10 , wherein said at least one of the pad received in the pocket of the left wing or the pad received in the pocket of the right wing is configured to impart a targeted, localized compression force having a medial component thereof to the left breast of a user when said support garment is worn by the user.
12 . A method of supporting a breast within a garment, comprising the steps of: providing a garment having a left cup configured to receive a left breast of a user, a right cup configured to receive a right breast of a user, a rear panel, a left wing connecting said left cup to said rear panel, and a right wing connecting said right cup to said rear panel; wherein said left wing further comprises a left wing pocket therein configured to receive a pad through a left wing pocket opening, and wherein said right wing further comprises a right wing pocket therein configured to receive a pad through a right wing pocket opening; selecting a first pad, wherein said first pad is substantially planar with a relatively constant thickness and having an overall shape selected from the group consisting of polygonal, circular, oval, cup-shaped, anatomically curved, and wherein said overall shape further comprises a cutout on an end of said pad; inserting said first pad through said left wing pocket opening into said left wing pocket; and placing said support garment on a user's body in a manner such that the user's left breast is received in said left cup; the user's right breast is received in said right cup; and said first pad is located on a lateral side of the user's left breast between a midline axis of said support garment and a point that is anteriorly spaced from said midline axis a distance equal to approximately 60 percent of a left cup length projection.
13 . The method of supporting a breast within a garment according to claim 12 , further comprising the steps of: selecting a second pad; and inserting said second pad through said right wing pocket opening into said right wing pocket.
14 . The method of supporting a breast within a garment according to claim 13 , wherein the placing step further comprises: placing said support garment on a user's body in a manner such that said second pad is located on a lateral side of the user's right breast between said midline axis of said support garment and a point that is anteriorly spaced from said midline axis a distance equal to approximately 60 percent of a right cup length projection.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is related to the following co-pending applications, all of which were filed Mar. 12, 2025: application Ser. Nos. 19/077,978; 19/077,982; and Ser. No. 19/077,986. TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to support garments to support breasts, such as, but not limited to, after certain breast surgeries. BACKGROUND In general, breast surgery is a procedure that modifies, in some way, the breast of a patient. Such surgeries are done for a variety of reasons. Some are done for cosmetic reasons, such as, for example, to refine the breasts to look more youthful or increase (or in some cases, decrease) their size. Others are medically necessary, such as a breast reconstruction after mastectomy as treatment for breast cancer. Generally speaking, there are several primary types of breast surgeries, including breast augmentation, mastopexy (breast lift), augmentation mastopexy, breast reconstruction, mastectomy, lumpectomy, breast reduction, and tuberous breast correction, to name a few. And there are many variations and types of surgical procedures within each of these broad categories, each surgery affecting the patient's body in possibly different ways. Some of these surgeries (e.g., mastectomy or lumpectomy) lead to other of these surgeries (e.g., reconstruction or augmentation). In many of these surgical procedures, however, the patient undergoes significant trauma not only to the breast and the breast tissue, but also in some cases to the surrounding tissue including lymph nodes, chest musculature, and so forth. Anatomically, a breast is made up of three main parts: glandular tissue (which includes the lobules and ducts), connective tissue (the fibrous or supportive tissue of which ligaments and scar tissue are made), and fatty tissue that fills in the spaces between the glandular and fibrous tissue. The fatty tissue largely determines breast shape and size. The lobules are the glands that produce milk. The ducts are the tubes that carry milk to the nipple. The connective tissue surrounds and holds everything together. And, of course, in the breast region there are also bands of supportive, flexible connective tissue called ligaments, which stretch from the skin to the chest wall to hold the breast tissue in place. And there are pectoral muscles that lie against the chest wall underneath both breasts, giving them support. Finally, blood vessels provide oxygen to the breast tissue and carry away waste. The various types of breast surgeries affect the parts of the breast in different ways. For example, a lumpectomy is a procedure that only removes the cancerous tumor and a small margin of normal tissue around it. Therefore, a lumpectomy leaves most of the breast skin, lobules, ducts, and tissue intact, and, most often, the general shape of the breast and the nipple area are preserved. For this reason, a lumpectomy is often referred to as a breast-conserving surgery. A mastectomy, however, is a surgery that removes the entire breast. In a total (simple) mastectomy, a surgeon removes the entire breast and the lining of the chest muscle, but no other tissue. For some women, in a total mastectomy, much of the skin of the breast, sometimes including the nipple, is left intact for breast reconstruction. In a modified radical mastectomy, a surgeon removes the entire breast (including all breast tissue, lobules, and ducts), the lining of the chest muscles, and one or more of the axillary lymph nodes (in the underarm area). This procedure leaves in place only the dermis (or part thereof) that formerly covered the breasts, which must be sutured together to close the surgical site. As stated, many breast cancer surgeries either involve or lead to other types of breast surgeries. Following some breast cancer surgeries like modified radical bilateral (both breasts) mastectomy, many women opt for some form of breast reconstruction. Reconstruction may be done at the same time as the mastectomy (immediate) or at a later time (delayed). Nearly all the types of breast surgeries mentioned above involve significant trauma to the breast region. Non-limiting examples of such surgeries include breast augmentation, mastopexy, augmentation mastopexy, breast reconstruction, and certain lumpectomies, breast reductions, and tuberous breast corrections. This trauma translates into significant physical limitations (for example, on types of movements allowed, range of movements allowed, lifting, sleeping positions, activities, and many others), that are imposed on the patient post-surgery. Generally speaking, if the patient adheres to doctors' orders and heals normally, such physical restrictions are gradually lifted. In addition to these physical restrictions, certain wardrobe/clothing restrictions are imposed. Sometimes an overall compression garment is required to be worn by the patient for a time period post-surgery, but as discussed herein, overall compression garme