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US-20260124065-A1 - OSTOMY POCKET PATCH

US20260124065A1US 20260124065 A1US20260124065 A1US 20260124065A1US-20260124065-A1

Abstract

A patch for attachment within a shirt or blouse can form a pocket which can accommodate expansion of a concealed ostomy bag. The patch includes a curved middle seam which allows the pocket to expand towards the wearer's skin. Oversized, rounded welts are located adjacent to the pocket opening to protect the patch from peeling off of the garment over time. The patch is intended to be attached to the inside surface of the garment in order to form a definitive pocket which can receive and support an expanding ostomy bag close to the body, and can allow the garment to lie substantially flat against the wearer's body without creating an awkward silhouette. The patch has a substantially triangular, symmetrical shape, which allows it to be rotated prior to attachment, for example, to fit either the right or left corner of a shirt or blouse.

Inventors

  • Margaret A. Brown

Assignees

  • Adam’s Ostomy Pocket, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251017

Claims (7)

  1. 1 . A patch for attachment to an inside surface of a garment to create a definitive pocket for receiving and supporting an ostomy bag, the patch comprising: a) a first half-patch; and b) a second half-patch, wherein the first half-patch and the second half-patch are identical, each including an angled corner, a curved side, a straight side, a base side, a welt, and a stitch line, wherein the angled corner and the curved side of the first half-patch are sewn to the angled corner and the curved side of the second half-patch to create a bottom corner and a middle seam for the patch, wherein the patch is adapted for attachment to the inside surface of a garment to create a definitive pocket, the definitive pocket having an opening for receiving and holding an ostomy bag, wherein the welts are adjacent to either end of the opening, and wherein the middle seam allows the definitive pocket to expand in the horizontal direction towards a wearer's body as the ostomy bag fills.
  2. 2 . The patch of claim 1 , wherein the patch has a symmetrical appearance, substantially in the shape of an isosceles triangle, for being rotated and arranged to fit within a corner of the garment prior to attachment.
  3. 3 . The patch of claim 1 , wherein the patch is an iron-on, permanently attachable patch for attachment to the inside surface of the garment, and wherein attachment of the patch to the garment creates the definitive pocket having an opening for holding an ostomy bag.
  4. 4 . The patch of claim 1 , the patch further comprising a front face and a back face, wherein the back face includes adhesive strips for attaching the straight sides, the welts and the bottom corner of the patch to the inside surface of the user's garment to create the definitive pocket.
  5. 5 . The patch of claim 4 , wherein the welts are oversized and rounded for protecting the patch from peeling off of the garment.
  6. 6 . The patch of claim 3 , wherein straight sides, the welts, and the bottom corner of the patch are ironed on to the corner seams of the garment for providing additional support to the definitive pocket as the ostomy bag fills.
  7. 7 . The patch of claim 1 , wherein the opening of the definitive pocket includes an elasticized hem.

Description

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/715,579 filed Nov. 3, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to ostomy bags, and in particular to a patch that is attachable to the inside of a patient's shirt or other garment to create a pocket for receiving and supporting an ostomy bag. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION An ostomy bag or pouch is a medical device configured to collect waste. Ostomy bags are commonly associated with colostomies and ileostomies, which are surgeries that bypass diseased parts of the bowel and allow the body to get rid of waste products. With a colostomy, a surgeon will create an opening from the large intestine through the abdomen for waste to pass through. An ileostomy is similar, but the opening connects to the small intestine. For patients who have had a cystectomy (bladder removal) due to cancer or trauma, a urostomy may be necessary to redirect urine into a urostomy bag. In each case, the opening or passageway made through the abdomen is called a stoma, and the ostomy bag typically has a flange or fitting at the upper part of the bag for removable attachment to the stoma, creating an airtight seal. There are a variety of ostomy bags in common use, and they are typically made of a transparent or semitransparent plastic material. The bottom of the collection bag can also include a drain tube that can be opened to release fluid wastes. Patients first learning to live with an ostomy bag can find it difficult to feel comfortable going out in public. In addition, the plastic material can stick to and irritate the patient's skin, and the bag itself can be somewhat cold to the touch when attached, and then warm as it fills, which can be rather uncomfortable. While ostomy bag design has improved over the years to improve physical comfort, patients still find that the profile of the ostomy bag is noticeable under their clothing, and they worry about bulging or otherwise showing in public. Furthermore, as the ostomy bag fills with waste, the weight of the pouch increases and may provide stress on the stoma. Holders and pouches for supporting ostomy bags are known, and can range from full garments to belts and vests with pockets, as well as reversibly attachable pockets. Nevertheless, such holders tend to be heavy and bulky, do not allow the patient to wear their “every day” clothing, and have generally been insufficient in providing ample support and comfort, or providing a form-fitting ability. Typical pockets for holding and supporting ostomy bags can be either disposable and/or washable/reusable, can be made of any type of fabric, such as cloth, canvas, leather, plastic, or any other suitable material, and they typically are reversibly attachable with Velcro, buttons, zippers, snaps, or hooks. While many types of ostomy bag holders and supports are known, there is an ongoing need for pocket for an ostomy bag having a simple design that is economical to make and easy to employ, that can be attached to any garment, and can reduce the discomfort associated with wearing an ostomy bag. It would also be beneficial to provide a pocket for supporting an ostomy bag that can allow the garment to hug close to the body, without hanging out or bulging as the ostomy bag expands. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a pocket configured for permanent attachment to a garment, such as a shirt or blouse, to receive and support an ostomy bag close to the body. Specifically, in accordance with a first aspect of the invention, the present invention provides a patch for attachment to an inside surface of a garment to create a definitive pocket for receiving and supporting an ostomy bag, the patch comprising: (a) a first half-patch; and (b) a second half-patch, wherein the first half-patch and the second half-patch are identical, each including an angled corner, a curved side, a straight side, a base side, a welt, and a stitch line, wherein the angled corner and the curved side of the first half-patch are sewn to the angled corner and the curved side of the second half-patch to create a bottom corner and a middle seam for the patch, wherein the patch is adapted for attachment to the inside surface of a garment to create a definitive pocket, the definitive pocket having an opening for receiving and holding an ostomy bag, wherein the welts are adjacent to either end of the opening, and wherein the middle seam allows the definitive pocket to expand in the horizontal direction towards a wearer's body as the ostomy bag fills. While the nature and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated from the following drawings and detailed description, showing the contemplated novel combinations and elements as herein described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it is understood that changes in