U.S. patent application number 14/380007 was filed with the patent office on 2015-10-22 for nursing pad.
This patent application is currently assigned to MAPA GMBH. The applicant listed for this patent is Elke LADIGES. Invention is credited to Elke LADIGES.
Application Number | 20150296892 14/380007 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45926507 |
Filed Date | 2015-10-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150296892 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LADIGES; Elke |
October 22, 2015 |
Nursing Pad
Abstract
A nursing pad for placement on the breast of a woman with, for
the purpose of fitting to the shape of a breast, a thin-walled,
flexible pad body with a circumferential outer edge, an inner
surface for placement on the breast and an outer surface, wherein a
rising for the purpose of pushing in a nipple protrudes from the
inner surface of the pad body.
Inventors: |
LADIGES; Elke; (Hepstedt,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
LADIGES; Elke |
Hepstedt |
|
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
MAPA GMBH
Zeven
DE
|
Family ID: |
45926507 |
Appl. No.: |
14/380007 |
Filed: |
March 9, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
March 9, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2012/001060 |
371 Date: |
August 20, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
128/887 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41B 9/12 20130101; A61F
13/141 20130101; A61F 13/145 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A41B 9/12 20060101
A41B009/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 24, 2012 |
DE |
20 2012 001 829.9 |
Claims
1. A nursing pad for placement on the breast of a woman,
comprising: a thin-walled, flexible pad body (2) with a
circumferential outer edge (7), an inner surface (3) for placement
on the breast and an outer surface (4), wherein a rising (5) for
the purpose of pushing in a nipple protrudes from the inner surface
(3) of the pad body (2).
2. The nursing pad according to claim 1, wherein the rising (5) is
a thick point in the pad body (2).
3. The nursing pad according to claim 1, wherein the pad body (2)
is curved in a dome-shaped manner.
4. The nursing pad according to claim 1, wherein the pad body (2)
around the rising (5) has a concave inner surface (3) and/or in
which the pad body (2) has a convex outer surface (4).
5. The nursing pad according to claim 1, wherein the wall thickness
of the pad body (2) increases gradually from the circumferential
outer edge (7) up to the outer edge of the rising (5).
6. The nursing pad according to claim 1, wherein the rising (5) is
at least partially convex.
7. The nursing pad according to claim 1, wherein the transition
from the rising (5) to the area of the inner surface (3)
surrounding it is rounded.
8. The nursing pad according to claim 1, wherein the rising (5)
protrudes by 0.5 to 5 mm with respect to the adjacent, inner
surface (3) of the pad body (2).
9. The nursing pad according to claim 1, wherein the pad body (2)
in the area of the rising (5) has a wall thickness of 1.5 to 10 mm
and/or outside of the rising (5), a wall thickness of 0.3 to 5
mm.
10. The nursing pad according to claim 1, wherein the rising (5)
extends 3 to 12 mm from the center of the pad body (2) in the
radial direction.
11. The nursing pad according to claim 1 the circumferential outer
edge (7) of the pad body (2) is circular or elliptical or
petal-shaped.
12. The nursing pad according to claim 1 the rising (5) is arranged
in the center of the pad body (2).
13. The nursing pad according to claim 1, further including an
adhesive on the inner surface (3).
14. The nursing pad according to claim 13, further including an
adhesive layer (9) made of an adhesive on the inner surface
(3).
15. The nursing pad according to claim 1, wherein the nursing pad
is supple and/or skin-like and/or breathable and/or does not absorb
fluid.
16. The nursing pad according to claim 1, wherein the pad body (2)
is made of silicone rubber and/or the adhesive is made of a
silicone gel.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a U.S. National Stage Application of
PCT/EP2012/001060, Filed on Mar. 9, 2012, which claims priority to
DE 20 2012 001 829.9 filed on Feb. 24, 2012
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The invention relates to a nursing pad for placement on the
breast of a woman.
[0004] Nursing pads serve to prevent the leakage of breast milk
from the breasts of breast-feeding women.
[0005] Leaking breast milk contaminates clothing and causes
discomfort. Absorbent nursing pads with a liquid-impermeable outer
layer, which are placed on the breast and catch leaking breast
milk, are known. These have the disadvantage that they are puffed
out and appear bulky. In addition, wearing the moist, absorbent
pillow on the skin can cause discomfort.
[0006] WO 2009/043007 A1 relates to a reusable, washable, adhesive
cover for use by lactating women in combination with an absorbent
nursing pad. The cover has a plurality of laminated layers made of
silicone compounds. An outer layer is considerably harder than an
inner layer. The outer layer gives the cover rigidity and the
silicone compound with the lesser hardness on the inside has
adhesive properties so that the cover enables fixing without
additional fastening on clothing.
[0007] It is known that light pressure on the nipple controls and
restricts the leakage of breast milk. A device for controlling
lactation is known from WO 03/105616 A1. This device has a thin,
flexible and breathable, liquid-impermeable and multi-layer shield,
which easily fits to the shape of the human breast. The device can
be used together with a bra in order to support the formation of
the shield and to exert an additional pressure on the nipple of the
wearer in order to prevent spontaneous lactation.
[0008] The shield is a thin membrane with an inner surface and an
outer surface. It is made of a material that is sufficiently
flexible in all directions so that it fits to the shape of the
breast through slight pressure. The shield has an adhesive, inner
surface, which makes it possible to retain its position without
using glue or being fastened on the outer clothing and on a bra.
The shield is pre-formed so that it has an elliptical surface in
cross-section, which makes it possible to fit the shield closer to
the shape of the breast. The material of the shield is sufficiently
sheer so that it is almost invisible when it is arranged under
clothing. The thickness of the shield is selected so that it almost
does not change the breast profile of the wearer. The shield has an
outer shell made of silicone rubber and an inner membrane made of a
silicone rubber compound, which is laminated onto the inner surface
of the outer shell. The outer shell and the inner membrane have
identical elliptical curves, wherein the outer shell has a convex
surface and the inner membrane has a concave surface.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,195 B1 describes a repeatedly usable,
washable, adhesive pad for adhering to the human body, which has a
pad body made of a silicone rubber and an adhesive layer made of a
silicone gel, which is formed from a piece with the pad body in
order to make an adhesive surface available. The pad body and the
adhesive layer made of silicone gel are linked and seamlessly
interconnected wherein the adhesive layer made of silicone gel
retains its adhesive properties for approx. two months depending on
use. This pad can be repeatedly adhered to the skin of the wearer.
It is dome-shaped.
[0010] However, with known pads for direct adhesion to the skin,
which are not provided with an absorptive pillow, leakage of milk
can occur.
[0011] Based on this, an object of the invention is to provide a
nursing pad that better prevents the unwanted leakage of milk.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The nursing pad according to the invention for placement on
the breast of a woman has, for the purpose of fitting to the shape
of a breast, a thin-walled, flexible pad body with a
circumferential outer edge, an inner surface for placement on the
breast and an outer surface, wherein a rising for the purpose of
pushing in a nipple protrudes from the inner surface of the pad
body.
[0013] The nursing pad according to the invention is based on the
knowledge that conventional nursing pads do not nestle ideally to a
breast so that the nipples often do not push in at all or do not
push in sufficient in order to prevent a flowing off of breast milk
to the desired extent. For a sufficient pushing in of the nipple,
the pad body of the nursing pad according to the invention is
provided in the center with a rising protruding from the inner
surface. When the nursing pad is applied to the breast, the rising
pushes the nipple in, even if the nursing pad does not rest on the
breast ideally. Since the nursing pad is applied to the breast and
the nipple is pushed in, it causes a natural closure of the mammary
glands. It can be opened by removing the nursing pad. The rising
facilitates the positioning of the nursing pad on the breast or
respectively the nipple.
[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the rising is a thick
point in the pad body. The embodiment of the rising as a thick
point has the advantage that the nursing pad has a reduced
flexibility at the rising. As a result, the rising cannot move away
during the pushing in of the nipple. This contributes to ensuring
that the nipple is pushed in sufficiently in order to prevent a
milk leakage. In the case of this embodiment, the pad body outside
of the rising is preferably designed in a particularly thin-walled
or respectively flexible manner so that it nestles particularly
well on the breast. This also contributes to ensuring that the
rising is correctly positioned and is pushing in the nipple
sufficiently. Moreover, it is achieved through the fitting to the
breast that the wearing of the nursing pad under clothing is not
noticeable.
[0015] But it is generally also possible to design the rising as an
inwardly curved, central area of a thin-walled pad body with a
mainly constant wall thickness in the area of the rising and the
other areas. Due to its compact shape, the rising formed in this
manner can be designed in a sufficiently stable manner in order to
push in the nipple.
[0016] According to one embodiment, the pad body is curved in a
dome-shaped manner. The dome-shaped curvature is given for example
when the pad body has the shape of a hemispherical shell or a
smaller part of a spherical shell or the shape of a bell. The
dome-shaped curvature of the pad body facilitates the fitting to
the shape of the breast.
[0017] According to another embodiment, the pad body has a concave
inner surface surrounding the rising and/or the pad body has a
convex outer surface.
[0018] According to another embodiment, the wall thickness of the
pad body increases gradually from the circumferential outer edge up
to the outer edge of the central rising. This wall thickness
progression simultaneously effectuates an advantageous fitting to
the shape of the breast and support of the central rising so that
it can push in the nipple sufficiently without sagging.
[0019] According to one embodiment, the rising is curved at least
partially in a convex manner. The convex curvature makes it
comfortable to wear. The rising is preferably curved overall in a
convex manner. The rising is preferably only slightly curved in a
convex manner so that the nipple has an almost flat support surface
and does not slide off laterally. According to a preferred
embodiment, the rising has the shape of a sphere segment. According
to another embodiment, the curvature radius of the convex rising is
at least 5 mm. Even more preferably, it is a maximum of 15 mm.
[0020] According to another embodiment, the rising is curved only
partially in a convex manner and is flattened in the apex area in
order to offer there a broad surface for the nipple. The transition
between the flattening and the convexly curved casing is preferably
rounded.
[0021] It is also generally possible to design the rising in a
frustoconical or cylindrical manner, wherein the transition from
the conical or respectively cylindrical casing to the flattened end
is preferably rounded.
[0022] According to another embodiment, the transition from the
rising to the areas of the inner surface surrounding it is rounded
in order to make it comfortable to wear.
[0023] The curvature radius of the rounded transition from the
rising to the area surrounding it is preferably only slightly
curved. It can have in particular a curvature radius of at least 5
mm. The curvature radius is preferably a maximum of 15 mm.
[0024] According to another embodiment, the rising protrudes with
respect to the adjacent, inner surface by 0.5 to 5.0 mm. In this
area of the dimensions, the nipple is pushed in to an extent that
prevents milk leakage but is not considered uncomfortable. Even
more preferably, it protrudes by 1.0 to 2.0 mm. It preferably
protrudes approximately 1.5 to 1.75 mm.
[0025] According to a preferred embodiment, the pad body is
thin-walled or respectively has a wall thickness that is thin
enough to be supple. According to another embodiment, the pad body
in the area of the rising has a wall thickness of 1.5 to 10 mm
and/or outside of the rising a wall thickness of 0.3 to 5 mm.
Sufficient stability in the center and suitable flexibility outside
of the center are hereby reached. Furthermore, the pad body in the
area of the rising preferably has a wall thickness of 2.5 to 7.5 mm
and/or outside of the rising a wall thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm.
[0026] According to another embodiment, the rising extends 3 to 12
mm from the center of the pad body in the radial direction.
Furthermore, it preferably extends 4 to 8 mm.
[0027] According to other embodiments, the circumferential outer
edge of the pad body is curved. According to another embodiment,
the outer edge is circular or elliptical or petal-like. The
petal-like embodiment has a series of arched sections of the outer
edge. The petal shape fits the breast particularly well. It
distributes the surface pressure to a larger contact line, whereby
impressions on the skin are reduced.
[0028] According to another embodiment, the outer edge of the pad
body is finger-shaped. In this embodiment, small stripes extend
radially outwards starting from the central rising or from an edge
area surrounding the central rising, wherein there are free spaces
between the stripes.
[0029] According to another embodiment, the rising in the center
protrudes from the inner surface of the pad body. In this
embodiment, the rising is located in the middle point of the pad
body if it is circular. If the pad body is elliptical, the rising
is located at the intersection of the main and secondary axis of
the ellipse. In an pad body with a petal-shaped or finger-shaped
outer edge or an outer edge with another, in particular irregular,
shape, the rising is preferably located in the mass center of the
pad body.
[0030] According to a preferred embodiment, the inner surface has
an adhesive. The adhesive enables a simple adhesion directly to the
skin surface. The nursing pad is hereby held immovably in the
position, in which the rising pushes against the nipple. Moreover,
complex fastening measures, for example through the use of
additional adhesives or fastening of the nursing pad to bra, are
avoided. Usage is hereby simplified.
[0031] According to another embodiment, the inner surface has an
adhesive coating made of an adhesive. The entire inner surface is
preferably coated with the adhesive coating made of an
adhesive.
[0032] According to another embodiment, the nursing pad is supple
and/or skin-like and/or does not absorb fluid. It preferably
absorbs neither milk nor water.
[0033] This is advantageous for the wearing comfort of the nursing
pad. The properties can be given to the nursing pad through a
suitable design and/or through the use of suitable materials. They
can be given to the nursing pad in particular through a
corresponding design of the pad-body or of the adhesive or of the
pad body and of the adhesive.
[0034] According to another embodiment, the pad body is made of
silicone rubber and/or the adhesive is made of a silicone gel. The
named materials have a suitable flexibility and suppleness and can
be designed in a sufficiently skin-like manner and in a manner that
does not absorb fluid. It is generally possible to use the nursing
pad multiple times, wherein it can be washed due to the multiple
uses, if necessary. The nursing pad is preferably transparent or
respectively sheer.
[0035] The pad body preferably has a diameter in the range of 50 mm
to 150 mm. The diameter preferably lies in the range of 70 mm to
100 mm.
[0036] The adhesive layer preferably has a layer thickness of 0.05
to 1.0 mm. The layer thickness is preferably 0.1 to 0.3 mm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] The invention is explained in greater detail below based on
the appended drawings of an exemplary embodiment in nursing pads
according to the invention. The drawings show:
[0038] FIG. 1 the nursing pad in a side view;
[0039] FIG. 2 the nursing pad in the top view; and
[0040] FIG. 3 the nursing pad in a cut perpendicularly through the
apex of the pad body.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0041] While this invention may be embodied in many different
forms, there are described in detail herein a specific preferred
embodiment of the invention. This description is an exemplification
of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the
invention to the particular embodiment illustrated
[0042] According to FIGS. 1 to 3, the nursing pad 1 has a
dome-shaped pad body 2, which has a concave inner surface 3 and a
convex outer surface 5. In the center, the concave inner surface 3
ends in a convex rising 5. The transition from the rising 5 to the
inner surface 3 has a rounding 6.
[0043] The pad body 2 has a curved, circumferential outer edge 7.
The outer edge 7 has a series of arched, curved sections 7.1 to
7.5. The transitions between the arched sections 7.1 to 7.5 are
rounded.
[0044] The wall thickness of the pad body 2 increases gradually
from the outer edge 7 to the rising 5. On the outer edge 7, the pad
body 2 has a wall thickness S1 of 0.65 mm and, on the edge of the
rising 5, a wall thickness S2 of approximately 2 mm. It has a wall
thickness S3 of 5 mm at the highest point of the rising 6.
[0045] The pad body 2 has the following radii:
[0046] R1=70 mm, R2=40 mm, R3=120 mm, R4=10.7 mm, R5=10 mm, R6=66
mm.
[0047] Preferably, the centers of the radii R2 are arranged on a
circle, which revolves around the vertical middle axis in FIG. 3 at
a distance A of approximately 11 mm.
[0048] The diameter D1 of a circle defining the nursing pad 1 is
approximately 80 mm. The diameter D2 of the circle inscribed into
the circumferential outer edge 7 is approximately 75 mm.
[0049] The height H1 of the nursing pad from the apex of the outer
surface 4 to the deepest points of the outer edge 7 is
approximately 15 mm.
[0050] An adhesive layer 9 made of silicone gel is applied to the
inner surface 3 of the pad body 2. The adhesive layer 9 made of
silicone gel has a layer thickness S4 of 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm.
[0051] The pad body 2 made of silicone can be produced in an
injection-molding process or in a compression-molding process or a
pressing process.
[0052] The production of the nursing pad 1 with a pad body 2 made
of silicone and an adhesive layer 9 made of silicone gel on the
inner surface 3 can also take place as described in WO 03/105616 A1
or U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,195. The description to this effect in the
two patent documents is referenced in the present application.
[0053] The nursing pad 1 is placed on the breast, wherein the
rising 5 is pushed against the nipple and the areas surrounding the
rising 5 are fitted to the breast. The adhesive layer 9 holds the
thusly positioned nursing pad 1 firmly on the skin. The leakage of
milk is effectively prevented. The nursing pad 1 can be easily
removed, washed and reused.
[0054] In other exemplary embodiments, one or more of the
dimensions S1, S2, S3, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, D1, D2, H1 differ by
a maximum of .+-.50%. They preferably differ by a maximum of
.+-.20%.
[0055] This completes the description of the preferred and
alternate embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art
may recognize other equivalents to the specific embodiment
described herein which equivalents are intended to be encompassed
by the claims attached hereto.
* * * * *