US-12622470-B1 - Breast support garment

US12622470B1US 12622470 B1US12622470 B1US 12622470B1US-12622470-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

Cindy M. Eichenberger
Robert H. Eichenberger

Assignees

Cindy M. Eichenberger
Robert H. Eichenberger

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20250312

Claims (20)

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 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 rear panel; a left wing connecting said left cup to said rear panel, said left wing having a first compressor configured to impart force in at least a medial direction and having a pocket configured to receive a pad through a pocket opening thereof; and a right wing connecting said right cup to said rear panel, said right wing having a second compressor configured to impart force in at least the medial direction and having a pocket configured to receive a pad through a pocket opening thereof.
2 . The support garment of claim 1 wherein, said pocket of said left 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.
3 . The support garment of claim 2 wherein, said pad in said pocket of said left wing 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.
4 . The support garment of claim 3 wherein said overall shape further comprises a cutout on an end of said pad.
5 . The support garment of claim 4 wherein said pad is configured to impart 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.
6 . The support garment of claim 5 wherein, wherein said first compressor further comprises a first strap having a first end and a second end.
7 . The support garment of claim 6 , wherein said first compressor further comprises a second strap having a first end and a second end.
8 . The support garment of claim 6 , wherein said first end of said first strap is coupled to said support garment at said left wing in a sagittal plane at or spaced anteriorly from said midline axis of said support garment.
9 . The support garment of claim 7 wherein, said first end of said second strap is coupled to said support garment at said left wing in a sagittal plane at or spaced anteriorly from said midline axis of said support garment.
10 . The support garment of claim 8 , wherein said second end of said first strap further comprises a first fastener portion that is configured to be removably coupled to a second fastener portion located on a portion of said support garment.
11 . The support garment of claim 8 , wherein said first strap is configured to be adjustable in length as a result of elasticity of said first strap.
12 . The support garment of claim 10 , wherein said first fastener portion is configured to removably couple to said second fastener portion at various locations along a length of said second fastener portion.
13 . A support garment comprising: a left cup configured to receive a left breast when said support garment is worn by a user; a right cup configured to receive a right breast when said support garment is worn by a user; 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; 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 a left cup length projection, and wherein said left wing further comprises a first medial compressor having a first strap, said first strap having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said first strap is coupled to said left wing at approximately a midpoint of a height of said left wing and wherein said second end of said first strap is selectively coupled to a portion of said support garment below said left cup; and wherein said right 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 a right cup length projection, and wherein said right wing further comprises a second medial compressor having a first strap, said first strap having a first end and a second end, wherein said first end of said first strap is coupled to said right wing at approximately a midpoint of a height of said right wing and wherein said second end of said first strap is configured to be selectively coupled below said right cup.
14 . The support garment of claim 13 , wherein said first strap of said first medial compressor is configured to be adjustable in length or in tension.
15 . The support garment of claim 14 , wherein first strap of said second medial compressor is configured to be adjustable in length or in tension.
16 . The support garment of claim 14 , wherein said pocket of said left wing is configured to receive a pad therein.
17 . The support garment of claim 16 , wherein said 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.
18 . The support garment of claim 17 wherein said overall shape further comprises a cutout on an end of said pad.
19 . The support garment of claim 18 wherein said pad is configured to impart 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.
20 . A method of supporting a breast within a garment, the method 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 first medial compressor having a first strap, wherein said first strap of said first medial compressor further comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein said right wing further comprises a second medial compressor having a first strap, wherein said first strap of said second medial compressor further comprises a first end and a second end; and wherein said left wing further comprises a left wing pocket having a pad therein; 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 and the user's right breast is received in said right cup and said 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; adjusting said first medial compressor by altering a length or a tension force of said first strap of said first medial compressor to provide a desired amount of medial and/or medial-cephalad and/or medial-caudal compression against a lateral side of the user's left breast; and adjusting said second medial compressor by altering a length or a tension force of said first strap of said second medial compressor to provide a desired amount of medial and/or medial-cephalad and/or medial-caudal compression against a lateral side of the user's right breast.

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 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 garments are i