Breast wrap

A breast wrap (10) has two rectangular non-stretching panels (11, 12) of cotton flannel material joined over a user's back by short elastic strips (16, 17), and joined in overlapping relationship across the breasts by upper and lower complementary hook-and-loop fasteners (28, 29, 30, 31) running marginally along upper and lower longitudinal edges (24, 25, 26, 27). The panels run lengthwise in opposite directions from the user's back, under one arm, across both breasts, and terminate at a point located under the other arm; the panels run widthwise from above the breasts to below the breasts; and the fasteners are located so they will not be pressed into the breasts. Two rectangular open-ended pouches (40, 41) having pockets (40) for crushed ice, are held between the overlapping panels by additional hook-and-loop fasteners (47, 48) that mate with fasteners (28, 29, 30, 31).

BREAST WRAP 
The present invention relates to a device for compressing the breasts 
against the chest wall to alleviate discomfort associated with post-partum 
engorgement in non-nursing mothers, and the like. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The breasts or mammae are accessory glands of the generative system. Gray's 
Anatomy defines the female breasts as "two large hemispherical eminences 
situated toward the lateral aspect of the pectoral region, corresponding 
to the intervals between the third and sixth or seventh ribs, and 
extending from the side of the sternum to the axilla." The breasts 
increase in size during pregnancy and become engorged with milk following 
delivery. 
To reduce the pain and leakage associated with engorgement, non-nursing 
women traditionally turn to elastic bandages, tight bras or old-fashioned 
wraps as alternatives to milk drying drugs which entail risks of 
undesirable side effects. Nursing mothers, too, turn to such devices, both 
for added supporting during jogging or other exercise, and to alleviate 
engorgement during the transition period at conclusion of breast-feeding. 
Elastic breast binders or tight bras can cut into the breasts, causing 
damage or clogging breast ducts, which can lead to painful mastitis. Also, 
such devices apply pressure unevenly to breast tissue and can be so tight 
as to constrict circulation or breathing. Conventional non-elastic 
binders, comprising continuous plain strips of, e.g., 9".times.44" medium 
weight cotton flannel are more comfortable, but provide no ready means of 
fastening, so can be self-applied only with much difficulty. The degree of 
maneuverability necessary to encircle the body with the binder and 
properly apply safety pins actually stimulates lactation, so contributes 
to the engorgement problem. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,648 discloses a breast binder comprising left, right 
and central trapezoidal panels, wherein the left and right panels are 
brought into overlapping relationship over the breasts and held in place 
by VELCRO.TM. hook-and-loop closure elements. To hold ice bags between the 
overlapping panels, complementary VELCRO.TM. fasteners are positioned at 
both sides of the overlapping panels. The top side of each overlapping 
panel is made convex. The described binder has several disadvantages. In 
order to achieve the desired compression, the binder must be tightly 
wrapped. However, this interferes with non-constricted breathing which 
requires allowance for chest expansion and contraction. The positioning of 
the fasteners centrally of the binder width places them awkwardly in 
positions to be pressed against the chest wall, and interferes with 
placement of ice bags in the axilla regions. Furthermore, no mechanism is 
provided beyond the tightness of the wrap to hold the bags in place. 
Maintenance of the shape of the panel convex sides, moreover, requires 
starching or stiff material, which interferes with wearer comfort. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides a simple wrap for comfortably and evenly 
immobilizing breasts and compressing them against the chest wall, without 
constricting circulation or breathing, and providing convenient 
out-of-the-way fastening means so the wrap can be self-applied with 
minimum wearer movement. 
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, described in greater detail 
below, a breast wrap comprises two rectangular non-stretching panels of 
cotton flannel material joined over the hollow of a wearer's back by 
short, upper and lower heavy elastic strips, and joined in overlapping 
relationship across the breasts by upper and lower complementary 
hook-and-loop fasteners running horizontally, marginally along upper and 
lower longitudinal edges. Two rectangular open-ended pouches are provided, 
having like fasteners for attachment to corresponding elements of the 
overlapping panels.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
As shown in FIGS. 1-3, an exemplary implementation of a breast wrap 10 in 
accordance with the invention comprises first and second horizontally 
longitudinally extending elongated panels 11, 12 of non-stretchable cotton 
flannel material, joined at proximal longitudinally-spaced lateral edges 
14, 15 by upper and lower elongated strips 16, 17 of longitudinally 
extending heavy elastic material. The panels 11, 12 have respective inner 
18, 19 and outer 20, 21 rectangular faces joined peripherally at seams 
running along proximal 14, 15 and distal 22, 23 lateral edges and upper 
24, 25 and lower 26, 27 longitudinal edges. Panel 11 includes upper and 
lower VELCRO.TM. hook fastener elements 28, 29 extending longitudinally 
marginally respectively adjacent edges 24, 26 on face 18, for a short 
distance from a point adjacent the edge 22. Panel 12 includes upper and 
lower complementary VELCRO.TM. loop fastener elements 30, 31 extending 
longitudinally marginally respectively adjacent edges 25, 27 on face 21, 
for substantially the entire length of panel 12 from edge 23 to edge 15. 
Wrap 10 is positioned with inner faces 18, 19 facing the body, with right 
and left panels 11, 12 under the arms and lateral edges 14, 15 
respectively located on either side of the center of the back, so that 
elastic strips 16, 17 span the hollow region over the spine. The left 
panel 12 is then brought from left to right, over both breasts, to a point 
tucked under right panel 11 below the right arm. Right panel 11 is 
similarly brought from right to left, over both breasts to a point where 
lateral edge 22 is under the left arm. The panels are secured in 
overlapping relationship over the breasts by mating the complementary 
hooks 28, 29 with the respectively corresponding loops 30, 31. 
Right panel 11 is sized to extend lengthwise around the chest, from the 
right edge of the spinal hollow region, under the right arm and over the 
breasts, to terminate in the left axilla region. Left panel 12 is 
identically sized to wrap around the chest in the opposite direction. 
Panels 11, 12 are identically sized in the widthwise direction to extend 
from a position just above the breasts, to one just below them. Fastening 
elements 28, 29, 30, 31 are positioned above or below the breasts, so that 
they will not be pressed against the breasts by the compressive action of 
the wrap. Darts 34, 35 can be added to run horizontally centrally at the 
edges 14, 15, if desired, to prevent bunching up of the material between 
the strips 16, 17 in the vicinity of the spine. The strips 28, 29, 30, 31 
provide infinitely variable user-adjustment over the size of the wrap. A 
selection of five sizes will suitably accommodate bust measurements of 
34"-38", 39"-43", 44"-48", 49"-53" and 54"-59", respectively. The width of 
the wrap may suitably correspondingly be chosen to be 81/2"-10". For the 
34"-38" bust size, panel length may suitably be 251/2" with 11/2" 
separation of edges 14, 15 at strips 16, 17, with strips 16, 17 in their 
relaxed positions. Elements 28, 29 can be 31/2".times. 3/4" strips 
indented by about 1/2" from edges 22, 24, 26. Elements 30, 31 can be 
19".times.3/4" strips indented by about 1/2" from edges 25, 27 and 
21/2"-31/2" from edges 15, 23. 
To accommodate the placement of ice packs between the panels 11, 12 of wrap 
10, right and left pouches 40, 41 are provided, as shown in FIGS. 4-5. 
Each pouch comprises front and back rectangular sheets 42, 43 of cotton 
flannel material sewn along upper and lower longitudinal edges 44, 45 and 
distal lateral edges 46. A length of hook VELCRO1/2 fastener 47 is 
attached longitudinally marginally adjacent edge 44, externally on sheet 
43. A length of loop VELCRO1/2 fastener 48 is attached marginally 
longitudinally, opposite fastener 47 adjacent edge 44, externally on sheet 
42. Sheets 42, 43 are left unjoined along proximal lateral edges 49 to 
provide a side opening into a pocket 50 formed internally between facing 
surfaces of sheets 42, 43. Pouches 40, 41 are sized so that a zip-locked 
bag 51 filled with crushed ice 52; tied, ice-filled surgical glove; 
disposable cold compress pack; or similar cooling or heating element can 
be received within the pocket. 
As shown in FIG. 5, pouches 40, 41 can be secured between faces 18 and 21 
of the overlapping panels 11, 12 by attaching the respective hook elements 
47 at desired locations along the loop elements 30. The loop elements 48 
of the applied pouches substitute for the underlying elements 30, if 
needed for attachment of the hook element 28 when the edge 22 of panel 11 
is brought into its panel overlapping, dot-dashed position 22', shown in 
FIG. 5. The open edges 49 of pouches 40, 41 are disposed in facing 
positions. This arrangement enables ice (or heat) to be applied at any 
desired position on the breasts. The fasteners 47 can, of course, be 
affixed to the complementary fasteners 30, 31 to orient the pouches in any 
desired configuration. 
Those skilled in the art to which the invention relates will appreciate 
that other substitutions and modifications can be made to the described 
embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as 
described by the claims below.