Pad assembly for absorbing fluids

The invention developed is a nursing pad assembly suitable for absorbing lacteal fluid which is conformable to the human breast. It includes a conformable casing comprising a central area and a plurality of outwardly extending fingers, the central area possessing a pocket having a front opening and a rear opening; an absorbent padding material located in the pocket and capable of being removed through the front opening; and adhesively attaching the outwardly extending fingers to an area surrounding the nipple in such fashion that the nipple will contact the absorbent padding material through the rear opening. When the absorbent padding material is removed from the pocket, the nipple will be exposed through the front opening to enable nursing without requiring removal of the entire pad assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The number of women breastfeeding nationally is rising substantially as a 
consequence of the previously unrecognized health benefits to the infant 
and the psychological impact on the mother. However, pregnant and nursing 
women often experience discharge of lacteal fluid from their breasts that 
can soil clothing or bed linens and lead to possible embarrassment. 
Nipples may also become sensitive and painfully irritated if not protected 
during this period. 
A few products are patented to address the problem of lacteal fluid 
leakage. Rushton, U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,012 (1974), describes a circular 
reservoir for the collection of lacteal fluid. London, U.S. Pat. No. 
2,891,544 (1951), and Fitzgerald, U.S. Pat. No. 2,896,623 (1959), claim 
breast pads which are designed to absorb lacteal fluid. These breast pads 
are discarded after use and can be expensive. A brassiere is necessary to 
support the pads, while nursing requires the removal of both the brassiere 
and padding material. A more recent development in this area is the 
nursing brassiere. Alternatively, the nursing brassiere has a flap which 
opens to allow for nursing and can also accommodate an absorbent pad. The 
major drawback of a nursing or conventional brassiere with an absorbent 
pad is that women must wear the undergarment throughout the day and night 
to prevent soiling of their clothes or bed sheets and avoid possible 
embarrassment. With constant use, the straps of a brassiere become 
extremely uncomfortable and are often described as annoying and 
constricting. 
Several references describe bandages or dressings that can be used to 
absorb wound fluids. Hathman in U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,763 has a open central 
chamber in register with a wound wherein an absorbent material is 
removably placed so as to contact the wound. A flap is used to cover and 
retain the absorbent material. A similar construction is used by Tollini 
as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,340 wherein a tab made of a hooked 
fabric is used to cover the central chamber. Buttarovoli in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,324,237 utilizes a flap arrangement to allow for access to a wound with 
a cover strip releasably affixed over the flap to protect the wound. 
Lifschutz in UK Patent Application No. GB 2,197,590 describes a series of 
adhesive components covering the central open area in a bandage such that 
the cover adhesive strip can be removed for inspection of the wound. Most 
of the bandage and dressing inventions cited above use adhesive 
attachments, which are often near the site of the wound. The cited 
references also use a flap, tab, or cover strips to retain absorbent 
material used to absorb fluids. 
None of the prior art utilize a pocket or double sided encasement to hold 
the absorbent material piece which would eliminate the need for flaps, 
tabs or cover strips used in these cited inventions. Greater accessibility 
to the breast nipple is possible without these external retaining flaps, 
tabs or cover strips. 
Other related products with different intended functions have been 
developed. A bust pad containing a pocket that holds a removable, padding 
material is detailed by Brauer in U.S. Pat. No. 2,505,458 (1946). Though 
the bust pad is held in place by a brassiere, the product does not allow 
for nursing and is not intended to absorb fluid. Inonti in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,754,750 (1988) describes an areola and nipple surgical wound protector. 
The product contains a sterile pad with a central cut out, a transparent 
cone shaped nipple protector member, and four spaced adhesive tape strips 
for securing the nipple protector member over the patient's breast. This 
particular product is not designed to absorb nipple secretions, must be 
entirely removed to gain access to the breast, and is not washable or 
reusable. In addition, there is no suggestion that the method of 
attachment employed can be extended to a nursing pad. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
One object of this invention is to prevent the breasts from wetting and 
subsequently staining the clothing of nursing mothers. The pad assembly is 
designed to receive an absorbent pad and offers the same wetness 
protection as a conventional nursing brassiere. The unique design allows 
the product to remain in place while nursing an infant or simply changing 
an absorbent pad. The elasticity of the material used in the construction 
of the product prevents leaking while the woman changes positions (e.g. 
standing to lying down). 
Another object of the invention is to provide a double-sided encasement or 
pocket design rather than using flaps, tabs or cover strips over a front 
opening to retain an absorbent padding material so nursing can be 
performed with greater accessibility to a nipple. Opposing slits are used 
to facilitate insertion and removal of the absorbent padding material. 
This design has an inner layer and an outer layer of fabric in the pocket 
that allows the fabric of the pocket to be in contact with a breast even 
upon nursing. There are no hooks, clips, fasteners or microhooks. 
Another object of the invention is to preclude the need for any adhesive 
attachment near a nipple of a breast. The encasement or pocket design of 
the instant invention may have adhesive only at its perimeter to prevent 
the encasement or pocket design, and thus the absorbent padding material 
inside it, from displacing. 
Another object of this invention is to develop a comfortable and 
non-restricting nursing pad. With prolonged use the shoulder straps of a 
conventional nursing brassiere become uncomfortable and constricting. The 
instant invention has no shoulder straps (shoulder-strapless), and 
therefore is not confining or restricting if worn throughout the day and 
night. It is extremely lightweight, soft, comfortable, and durable. In 
fact, no straps or bands are used to hold the assembly in place rather the 
assembly is secured adhesively in place. 
Another object of this invention is to have this same assembly act as an 
effective bandage over the breast and more particularly as a surgical 
wound dressing for the areola and nipple area following radical mastectomy 
or breast reconstructive surgery. 
Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide 
a new and improved nursing pad assembly designed to prevent soiling of 
clothes or bed linens as a result of lactation without the use of straps 
to constrict the person wearing the device. 
Another principal object of the invention is to provide women an 
alternative method to prevent nipple irritation from clothing when they 
prefer not to wear a conventional brassiere with straps. 
A further principal object of the invention is to provide an undergarment 
which facilitates nursing due to the presence of front and rear openings 
in register with each other that allows the mother to breastfeed when the 
absorbent material is removed. 
Another principal object of this invention is to provide an improved 
surgical wound protector and bandage for the areola, nipple area, and 
other proximate areas of the breast that absorbs fluid from the wound and 
maintains sterility while allowing for easy inspection of the area when 
the absorbent material is removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
FIGS. 1-4 depict the shoulder strapless pad assembly which is generally 
designated as 11 according to one embodiment of the invention. The pad 
assembly is comprised of an outer casing 1 designed to receive an 
absorbent padding material 2 (shown removably positioned within), 
outwardly extending fingers in the form of spaced fabric strips 7 
extending in a radial fashion from the casing, and attachment means 8 for 
adhering the strips to a breast. The pad assembly is composed of two 
layers of soft, smooth, elastic, lightweight, and washable fabric material 
such as a segmented polyurethane elastomer. A polyurethane elastomer such 
as that manufactured by E. I. DuPont Company under the trademark SPANDEX 
is one example of this fabric. The fabric is be comfortable, conforming, 
and durable. One possible fabric pattern has the perimeter sewn together 
to form a casing or pocket having a seam and resembles a formee cross with 
the fabric strips having generally decreasing width as a function of the 
distance from the central region followed by increasing width at the 
distal ends. This fabric strip shape allows for enhanced contouring to a 
breast or wound surface and to improve adhesive capabilities. The seam is 
on the inside of the pocket to prevent skin irritation and to enhance the 
casing's appearance. 
The front portion of the pad assembly, as illustrated in FIG. 2, contains a 
central circular area of fabric 5 with outwardly extending fingers in the 
form of four spaced fabric strips 7 extending radially out from the 
casing. One preferred embodiment has the fabric strips decreasing in width 
as a function of the distance from the central area of the fabric followed 
by increasing width at the distal ends. At the center of the casing 5 is a 
circular opening 4 optionally possessing slits 9 to facilitate removal of 
an absorbent padding material 2. In a preferred embodiment, the opening is 
one inch in diameter with the slits one half inch in length. The slits are 
on opposite sides of the opening, one hundred eighty degrees separated 
from one another, in the front of the casing and directed towards one of 
the spaced fabric strips. This configuration allows for easy insertion of 
an absorbent padding material, and at the same time prevents the pad from 
easily dislodging from the casing. The edges of the opening and slits are 
oversewn to avoid material fraying. The absorbent padding material is 
manufactured by several different companies (e.g. Evenflo Corporation, 
Inc.) and is constructed from multiple layers of cotton sheath, cotton 
flannel, or other high absorbency material. Nylon or polyester and cotton 
constructions are also known in the art. The absorbent padding material 
may be made of durable fibers, so that the material is washable and 
reusable. The padding material measures approximately three inches in 
diameter. The central casing may be embroidered for aesthetic and 
structural reasons. 
The rear portion of the casing 6 contains a central circular area of fabric 
with four spaced fabric strips 7 extending radially out from the casing. 
At the center of the casing 6, is a circular opening 3 which in the 
preferred embodiment measures approximately two inches in diameter and is 
in register with the front opening 4. This design permits the nipple of a 
breast or the surgical wound to be in direct contact with the absorbent 
padding material. The edge of this hole 3 is oversewn to avoid material 
fraying. If the absorbent padding material is removed from the front 
opening 4, the nipple protrudes through both the rear and front openings 
to facilitate nursing. The double-sided encasement or pocket design has no 
flap, tap or cover strip to cover the front opening. This pocket design 
allows for good access to the nipple during nursing. If the instant 
invention is used as a surgical dressing on a breast, the wound would be 
available for inspection and cleaning after the absorbent pad is removed. 
A fresh absorbent pad 2 can be placed in the casing through the front 
opening 4 for continued absorbency of the lacteal fluid or wound drainage. 
Therefore, inserting and replacing an absorbent padding material can be 
performed without removing the pad assembly from its attachment to the 
skin. In one embodiment, the opening in the front of the casing will be 
greater than the opening in the rear of the casing to prevent the 
absorbent pad from dislodging. In another embodiment, the opening in the 
rear of the casing may be larger than the opening in the front to 
facilitate nursing or to facilitate inspection of a breast wound. In 
another embodiment of the pad assembly slits are created on opposite 
sides, one hundred eight degrees separated from one another, of the 
opening in front of the casing to allow for easy insertion of an absorbent 
padding material and to increase accessibility of the nipple to nursing. 
The four fabric spaced strips 7 or arms of the cross-shaped product in the 
preferred embodiment measure three and one quarter inches in length from 
the center and are separated by a semicircular devoid area with a radius 
measuring one and one half inches. Therefore, the fabric strips or arms 
may flare out at the ends to improve adhesive capabilities. The front and 
rear fabric which form the four arms of the undergarment are sewn together 
at the distal ends to create a rectangular area 10 measuring one half inch 
by two inches. The perimeter of the fabric arms are also sewn together 
similar to the casing. By sewing the two sides of fabric together at their 
ends, the stability of the construct is improved, and the product 
subsequently adheres better to the skin. All edges of the pad assembly may 
be oversewn to prevent fabric fraying. Means for attachment, such as 
double sided adhesive tape 8, may be placed in the rectangular area on the 
rear surface. 
In the preferred embodiment, the double sided adhesive tape is 
hypoallergenic and approved for human use. The tape adheres well to the 
pad assembly and to the skin. The skin must be clean, dry, and free of oil 
to insure effective adhesion. Other important qualities of the tape are 
its elasticity to stretch with the skin, and a micropore design to 
increase epidermal aeration. One manufacturer of tape products with these 
qualities is the 3M Company. The tape can come precut into one half inch 
by two inches strips with paper tabs to facilitate easy application. The 
paper backing is removed and the tape is placed on the rectangular section 
of each wing on the rear surface. The second paper backing of the tape may 
then be removed to allow the undergarment to adhere to the skin. When the 
pad assembly is removed for washing, the tape is taken off and new tape 
strips are applied prior to reuse. No chemicals are necessary in the 
application of this undergarment to the skin that could interfere with 
breastfeeding or wound healing. 
Note that dimensions and design are for example only and different sizes 
and embroideries can be used to customize the design to particular 
applications and individuals (e.g. wound vs. breast application; wound or 
breast size variation). 
Included in this invention is a method for absorbing fluid from a nipple or 
a surgical wound and enabling the nipple or surgical wound to be 
repeatedly exposed for nursing, examination, or treatment without removal 
of the pad assembly. The method involves attaching a pad assembly, having 
a pocket capable of receiving an absorbent padding material as previously 
described, to an area surrounding the nipple or surgical wound in such a 
fashion that the padding material will contact the nipple or surgical 
wound through the rear opening. In addition, the padding material may be 
removed through the front opening to expose the nipple or surgical wound 
for the purpose of nursing, examination, or treatment thereof.