US-12616257-B1 - Breast support garment

US12616257B1US 12616257 B1US12616257 B1US 12616257B1US-12616257-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 (20)

1 . A compression pad assembly for a support garment comprising: a sleeve having a first surface having a perimeter therearound and an opposite second surface having a perimeter therearound, said first surface perimeter joined to said second surface perimeter forming an inner pouch between said first surface and said second surface; a pad disposed within said inner pouch, said pad being 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 the support garment, wherein said sleeve further comprises a first coupling device configured to be removably coupled to a mating coupling device adhered to said support garment; and wherein said sleeve is configured to be coupled to a left wing or a right wing of said support garment, said left wing connecting a left cup of the support garment to a rear panel of the support garment and said right wing connecting a right cup of the support garment to said rear panel of the support garment, so as to provide targeted compression having a medial component thereof to a breast of a user when the user is wearing said support garment.
2 . The compression pad assembly for a support garment of claim 1 , wherein said first coupling device further comprises one portion of a hook and loop mechanism.
3 . The compression pad assembly for a support garment of claim 2 , wherein said mating coupling device further comprises a mating portion of said hook and loop mechanism.
4 . The compression pad assembly for a support garment of claim 3 , wherein said first coupling device is positioned at only one location on said sleeve.
5 . The compression pad assembly for a support garment of claim 1 , wherein said first coupling device further comprises a sewn seam.
6 . The compression pad assembly for a support garment of claim 3 , wherein said mating coupling device is adhered to said support garment via adhesive.
7 . The compression pad assembly for a support garment of claim 6 , wherein said pad further includes a cutout.
8 . The compression pad assembly for a support garment of claim 3 , wherein said sleeve is coupled to said support garment between a midline axis of said support garment and a location that is disposed anteriorly of said midline axis a distance of approximately 60% of an overall breast projection when a user is wearing said support garment.
9 . The compression pad assembly for a support garment of claim 3 , wherein said mating coupling device is adhered to said support garment via any one of a zipper, snaps, buttons, hook-and-eye, clasps, magnets, and post-and-receiver.
10 . The compression pad assembly for a support garment of claim 1 , wherein the joint between said first surface perimeter and said second surface perimeter has a discontinuity therein.
11 . The compression pad assembly for a support garment of claim 10 , wherein said pad is removable from said inner pouch through said discontinuity.
12 . A compression pad assembly for a support garment comprising: a sleeve having a first surface having a perimeter therearound and an opposite second surface having a perimeter therearound, said first surface perimeter joined to said second surface perimeter forming an inner pouch between said first surface and said second surface; a pad disposed within said inner pouch, said pad being 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 the support garment, wherein said second surface of said sleeve further comprises a first coupling device fastened thereto along said second surface perimeter and configured to be removably coupled to a mating coupling device adhered to said support garment via adhesive; and wherein said sleeve is configured to be coupled to a left wing or a right wing of said support garment, said left wing connecting a left cup of the support garment to a rear panel of the support garment and said right wing connecting a right cup of the support garment to said rear panel of the support garment, between a midline axis of said support garment and a location that is disposed anteriorly of said midline axis a distance of approximately 60% of an overall breast projection when a user is wearing said support garment.
13 . The compression pad assembly for a support garment of claim 12 , wherein said pad has a length of from approximately 2 cm to approximately 21 cm.
14 . The compression pad assembly for a support garment of claim 13 , wherein said pad has a length of from approximately 5 cm to approximately 10 cm.
15 . The compression pad assembly for a support garment of claim 14 , wherein said pad has a thickness of from approximately 1 mm to approximately 1 cm.
16 . The compression pad assembly for a support garment of claim 15 , wherein said pad is rectangular and includes a cutout at one end thereof.
17 . A method for providing targeted, localized compression to a breast using a garment, the method comprising the steps of: providing a garment further comprising a left cup and a right cup, said left cup having a left cup length projection and said right cup having a right cup length projection, said garment configured to be worn about the breasts of a user; providing a sleeve having a pocket therewithin; providing a pad within said pocket of said sleeve; coupling a first coupling mechanism to said sleeve; coupling a second coupling mechanism to an inside surface of a left wing or a right wing of said garment, said left wing connecting said left cup to a rear panel of the garment and said right wing connecting said right cup to said rear panel of the garment, and said second coupling mechanism configured to mate with said first coupling mechanism; and placing said garment on a user such that the user's left breast is within said left cup and the user's right breast is within said right cup.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said pad is removable from said sleeve.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said first coupling mechanism and said second coupling mechanism are mating hook-and-loop fasteners.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein said second coupling mechanism is located on said inside surface of said garment such that when said sleeve is coupled to said garment, said sleeve is located on said garment between a first position at a midline axis of said garment and a second position that is disposed anteriorly of said midline axis a distance of approximately 60% of said left 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. 19/077,975; 19/077,978; and Ser. No. 19/077,982. 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