Abstract:
The present document describes a prosthesis for a mastectomy bra comprising: a lower portion comprising a manually malleable material having a first density; and an upper portion comprising a manually malleable material having a second density smaller than the first density, the lower portion being substantially located below the upper portion thereby insuring stability of the prosthesis when in use. There is also described a bra for receiving the prosthesis.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This description relates to the field of bras. More particularly, this description relates to bras and prostheses adapted for women who underwent a mastectomy. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Women who have undergone a mastectomy of one or both breasts still want or need to wear a bra to mitigate, among other reasons, the psychological effect of the operation. Several types of prostheses and bras for mastectomy exist. Existing bras and matching prostheses are not necessarily fashionable or comfortable. 
         [0003]    There is therefore a need for improved mastectomy prostheses and bras. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    According to an embodiment, there is provided a prosthesis for a mastectomy bra comprising: a lower portion comprising a manually malleable material having a first density; and an upper portion comprising another manually malleable material having a second density smaller than the first density, the lower portion being substantially located below the upper portion thereby insuring stability of the prosthesis when in use. 
         [0005]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the prosthesis above wherein the lower portion comprises a lower compartment for receiving the manually malleable material having the first density and the upper portion comprises an upper compartment for receiving the other manually malleable material having the second density. 
         [0006]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the prosthesis above further comprising a lower internal pouch for containing the manually malleable material having the first density. 
         [0007]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the prosthesis above wherein the manually malleable material having the first density comprises a hydrocarbon gel. 
         [0008]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the prosthesis above further comprising an upper internal pouch for containing the other manually malleable material having the second density. 
         [0009]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the prosthesis above wherein the other manually malleable material having the second density comprises polystyrene microbeads. 
         [0010]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the prosthesis above further comprising an upper internal pouch for containing the other manually malleable material having the second density. 
         [0011]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the prosthesis above wherein the other manually malleable material having the second density comprises polystyrene microbeads. 
         [0012]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the prosthesis above wherein the prosthesis comprises an outer shell for containing the lower portion and the upper portion. 
         [0013]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the prosthesis above wherein the outer shell has a left shape adapted a left cup of the mastectomy bra and a right shape adapted a right cup of the mastectomy bra, the left and the right shapes being a mirror image of each other. 
         [0014]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the prosthesis above further comprising a pre-formed foam portion inside the outer shell. 
         [0015]    According to an embodiment, there is provided a mastectomy bra comprising a cup adapted for receiving a prosthesis, the prosthesis comprising a lower portion comprising a manually malleable material having a first density; and an upper portion comprising another manually malleable material having a second density smaller than the first density, the lower portion being located substantially below the upper portion thereby insuring stability of the prosthesis when in use. 
         [0016]    According to an embodiment, there is provided a mastectomy bra comprising a cup substantially covering an area of a wearer&#39;s chest from which a breast was removed when the bra is worn, the cup comprising fabric material and a preformed material supported by the fabric material and for substantially maintaining a shape of the cup, the cup comprising a pocket for receiving a mastectomy prosthesis. 
         [0017]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the bra above wherein the cup comprises an upper internal circumferential edge portion for substantially coming into contact with the wearer&#39;s chest whereby the cup thereby substantially covers the area of the wearer&#39;s chest from which the breast was removed 
         [0018]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the bra above further comprising a lower circumferential edge portion; and wherein each cup further comprises an apex, a ratio between a shortest distance from the apex to the upper circumferential edge portion and radial distance from the apex to the lower circumferential edge portion, the radial distance being opposite the shortest distance, being greater than 65%. 
         [0019]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the bra above wherein the ratio is greater than at least one of 75%, 80%, 85%, 90% and 95%. 
         [0020]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the bra above further comprising a lower circumferential edge portion comprising a portion which is reinforced with a wire. 
         [0021]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the bra above wherein the preformed material comprises solid foam. 
         [0022]    According to an embodiment, there is provided the bra above comprising two of said cup. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]    Further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which: 
           [0024]      FIG. 1A  is a front elevation view of a mastectomy bra in accordance with an embodiment; 
           [0025]      FIG. 1B  is a rear elevation view of the mastectomy bra of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2A  is a front elevation view of a mastectomy bra in accordance with another embodiment; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2B  is a rear elevation view of the mastectomy bra of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3A  is front elevation view of a right prosthesis for mastectomy bra in accordance with another embodiment; 
           [0029]      FIG. 3B  is front elevation view of a left prosthesis according to the embodiment of  FIG. 3A ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 3C  is a perspective view of the right prosthesis of  FIG. 3A  seen from the right; 
           [0031]      FIG. 3D  is a perspective view of the right prosthesis of  FIG. 3A  seen from the left; 
           [0032]      FIG. 4  is a rear elevation view of the right prosthesis of  FIG. 3A  which has been opened; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 5  is a front elevation view of an upper internal pouch and a lower internal pouch of the right prosthesis of  FIG. 3A . 
       
    
    
       [0034]    It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0035]    Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a bra  100  for women who underwent a mastectomy. The bra  100  comprises a pair of substantially symmetrical cups  102 . The cups are either for supporting the remaining breast or for simulating the breast (or breasts) which has (have) been removed. The cups  102  are each made of two pieces of fabric  104  and  106  sewn together to obtain a breast shape. Lower edge  112  of each cup  102  is sewn to a band  108  for holding the bra on a user at breast level. Each of the lower edges  112  is reinforced with a wire for forming a rigid cradle to receive the remaining breast and to stress the form of the removed breast. The wire can be a strip of steel, or a strip or a rod of rigid plastic or of composite material. 
         [0036]    Cups  102  are shaped for substantially or completely covering a portion of a wearer&#39;s chest corresponding to the area previously occupied by a breast. Each cup  102  has an upper internal circumferential edge portion  132  adapted for substantially coming into contact with the wearer&#39;s chest whereby the cup thereby substantially covers the original location of a breast on the chest. 
         [0037]    The bra  100  further comprises two front straps  114  attached to upper portions  110  of the cups  102 . Each front strap  114  links the upper portion  110  of one of the cups  102  to a ring  124 . Front straps  114  run over the shoulders of the user. A decorative element  128  is put on each front strap  114 . 
         [0038]    Referring to  FIG. 1B , there is shown the bra  100  seen from rear. A third piece of fabric  118  is partially peripherally and internally sewn to each cup  102 . A free edge  120  of the third piece of fabric  118  forms an opening  122  of a pocket for introducing a prosthesis therein to simulate a real breast. 
         [0039]    Rear straps  130  are sewn to the band  108 , each corresponding to each of the front straps  114 . Each rear strap  130  passes through the corresponding ring  124  fixed to the corresponding front strap  114  and runs back to a slider  116  for adjusting its length. The band  108  is detachable by a clasp  126 . In another embodiment, the cup  102  corresponding to the remaining breast does not comprise the third piece of fabric  118  for better comfort. 
         [0040]    According to another embodiment, the bra  100  optionally comprises a detachable back hook integrated to at least one of the rings  124 . The back hook is for disconnecting and connecting to the opposite ring  124 . The rear straps  130  may thereby create an X-effect to further adjust the bra. 
         [0041]    According to another embodiment, the rear straps  130  cross. One of the rear straps  130  is sewn to a right portion of the band  108  and passes through the ring  124  of the left front strap  114 . Symmetrically, the other rear strap  130  is sewn to a left portion of the band  108  and passes through the ring  124  of the right front strap  114 . This creates an X-effect enhancing the maintaining of the straps, especially during physical exercises. 
         [0042]    Now referring to  FIG. 2A , there is shown a mastectomy bra  200  according to another embodiment. The bra  200  comprises a pair of substantially symmetrical cups  202 . Cups  202  are made of fabric material (i.e. a lining portion). The fabric material supports preformed material which substantially maintains a shape of each cup  202 . According to an embodiment, the preformed material comprises solid foam having a significant portion of open cells to be sufficiently flexible to provide comfort. The preformed material can further comprise a lining and an inter-lining. 
         [0043]    Each cup  202  comprises a lower circumferential edge portion  212  sown to a band  208 . In the embodiment shown on  FIGS. 2A and 2B , there is no reinforcement wire. 
         [0044]    Cups  202  are shaped for covering a portion of a wearer&#39;s chest corresponding to the area previously occupied by a breast. Each cup  202  has an upper internal circumferential edge portion  228  adapted for substantially coming into contact with the wearer&#39;s chest whereby the cup thereby substantially covers the original location of a breast on the chest. 
         [0045]    According to an embodiment, dimensions of such cups  202  can be defined by a ratio between a shortest distance  230  from an apex  232  to the upper circumferential edge portion  228  and radial distance  234  from the apex  232  to the lower circumferential edge portion  212 . The radial distance  234  is opposite the shortest distance  230 . According to an embodiment, the defined ratio is greater than 65%. According to another embodiment, the ratio is greater than at least one of 75%, 80%, 85%, 90% and 95%. 
         [0046]    The bra  200  further comprises two front straps  214  attached to upper portions  210  of the cups  202 . Each front strap  214  links the upper portion  210  of one of the cups  202  to a ring  224 . Front straps  214  run over the shoulders of the user. 
         [0047]    Referring to  FIG. 2B , there is shown the bra  200  seen from rear. A piece of fabric  218  is partially peripherally and internally sewn to each cup  202 . A free edge  220  of piece of fabric  218  forms an opening  222  of a pocket for introducing a prosthesis therein to give volume to a simulated breast. 
         [0048]    In some cases, for sport practice for example, a wearer could prefer to limit the volume of her simulated breast. In these cases, a prosthesis of a different volume or weight can be introduced in the pocket. 
         [0049]    One ring of back slides  238  is sewn to the band  208  on each side. Rear straps  236  are sewn to the rings  224 , each corresponding to a respective one of the front straps  214 . Each rear strap  236  passes through the corresponding back slide  238  and runs back to a slider  240  for adjusting its length. The band  208  is detachable by a clasp  242 . 
         [0050]    In another embodiment, the bra  200  optionally comprises a detachable back hook integrated to at least one of the rings  224 . The back hook is for disconnecting and connecting to the opposite ring  224 . The rear straps  236  may thereby create an X-effect to further adjust the bra. 
         [0051]    In another embodiment, the rear straps  236  cross. One of the rear straps  236  is sewn to the ring  224  of the right front strap  214  and passes through the left back slide  238 . Symmetrically, the other rear straps  236  is sewn to the ring  224  of the left front strap  214  and passes through the right back slide  238 . This creates an X-effect enhancing the maintaining of the straps, especially during physical exercises. 
         [0052]    Concurrently referring to  FIG. 3A  to  FIG. 3D , there are shown different views of a right prosthesis  300  and a left prosthesis  330  which can be inserted in the bra  100  or the bra  200 . The prosthesis  300  comprises an upper portion  310  and a lower portion  312 . The prosthesis  300  has an outer shell  302  made of two pieces of fabric peripherally sown together and a shape  304  adapted for a right cup of a bra. The prosthesis  330  is adapted for a left cup and is a mirror image of the prosthesis  300 . The prosthesis  300  is therefore differently shaped depending on whether it is for a left cup or a right cup. 
         [0053]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a rear view of the prosthesis  300 . The rear portion of the outer shell  302  has been cut to show the inside of the prosthesis. Two areas  306  are internal faces of the outer shell  302 . Inside the outer shell  302  an additional piece of fabric forms an upper compartment  314  and a lower compartment  316  separated by an additional sewing  318 . The upper compartment  314  is mostly in the upper portion  310  of the prosthesis  300  and the lower compartment  316  is mostly in the lower portion  312  of the prosthesis  300 . The lower portion  312  comprises a manually malleable material having a first density, preferably comprising hydrocarbon gel. The upper portion  310  comprises a manually malleable material having a second density, preferably comprising polystyrene microbeads. 
         [0054]    In use, the lower portion  312  is substantially located below the upper portion  310 , thereby insuring stability of the prosthesis  300 . Materials of the lower portion  312  and of the upper portion  310  are manually malleable to easily adapt the shape of the prosthesis  300  to the anatomy of the chest of the wearer. 
         [0055]    Ending with  FIG. 5 , there are shown an upper internal pouch  322  and a lower internal pouch  326  which are made for being respectively inserted in the upper compartment  314  and in the lower compartment  316  of the prosthesis  300 . The upper internal pouch  322  and the lower internal pouch  326  are both made from a flexible material. The lower internal pouch  326  is closed and comprises the manually malleable material  324  having a first density. The upper internal pouch  322  is closed and comprises the manually malleable material  320  having a second density smaller than the first density. In use, the lower compartment  316  is located substantially below the upper compartment  314 , thereby ensuring stability of the prosthesis  300 . 
         [0056]    While preferred embodiments have been described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made therein without departing from the essence of this disclosure. Such modifications are considered as possible variants comprised in the scope of the disclosure.