Breast prosthesis and method for making the same

• US 6,113,634 A
• Filed: 04/22/1997
• Issued: 09/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: F & E Gesellschaft Fur Bekleidungsinnovation mbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: F & E Gesellschaft Fur Bekleidungsinnovation mbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Volk, Stephan, Weber-Unger, Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Suzette J.
• Application Number:
  US08/844,813
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 623/7, 623/8, 450/38, 450/39, 450/55, 450/54
• US Class Current: 623/7
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/5044 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/52 Mammary prostheses brassieres A41C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30448 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30451 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5007 having elastic means different from springs, e.g. including an elastomeric insert elastic coating A61F2002/3007; springs A61F2002/5072; plate-like springs for feet A61F2002/6657
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5053 using a positive or a negative model, e.g. casting model or mould
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5055 Reinforcing prostheses by embedding particles or fibres during moulding or dipping, e.g. carbon fibre composites
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7881 using hook and loop-type fasteners for connecting prosthetic parts A61F2002/30467
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/206 by pressing the material between two preformed layers, e.g. deformable layers
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7532 Artificial members, protheses

Abstract

The invention relates to a breast prosthesis for breast-amputated women with a flexible plastic body (1) comprising two plastic sheets (2, 3) connected to each other along their common edge (23) and a plastic mass (4) enclosed between the two plastic sheets (2, 3), wherein the plastic body (1) has a front side (21) formed to resemble the contour of the natural breast and a back side (31) capable of facing the torso of the person, and an elastically deformeable thin part (6) secured with its edge (611) to the back side (31) of the plastic body (1). In order to improve the wear comfort of the breast prosthesis, the thin part (6) is secured to the plastic body (1) inside the common edge (23) of the connected plastic sheets (2, 3).

Claims

1. A breast prosthesis, comprising:

a flexible plastic body including a first plastic sheet member and a second plastic sheet member joined to each other along a common edge,

a plastic mass enclosed between the first and second plastic sheet members to form a concave cavity, wherein the plastic body has a front face formed to resemble the shape of a natural breast and a back face for facing towards the torso of a wearer; and

a first elastically deformable thin part secured to the back face of the plastic body which faces towards the torso of the wearer, at a distance, in a range of from 1 to 4 cm from the common edge of the joined first and second plastic sheet members.

2. The breast prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein the edge of the thin part is secured to the back face of the plastic body by at least one weld seam.

3. The breast prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein the edge of the thin part is secured to the back face by a glued seam.

4. The breast prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein the thin part is secured to the back face of the plastic body only along the edge of the thin part.

5. The breast prosthesis according to claim 1, wherein the thin part defines a surface area which in an unstressed state is greater than an area demarcated by the edge of the thin part secured to the plastic body.

6. The breast prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein the thin part defines a surface area which in an unstressed state essentially corresponds to an area of the back face of the plastic body demarcated by the edge of the thin part secured to the plastic body.

7. The breast prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein the thin part is a fabric member.

8. The breast prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein the thin part and the back face of the plastic body define a hollow space, said thin part being provided with an opening for inserting filler material in the hollow space between the thin part and the back (side) face of the plastic body.

9. The breast prosthesis according to claim 8 wherein the opening has the shape of a slit which is demarcated by an edge of the thin part, said edge of the thin part around the opening being reinforced by a fabric tape.

10. The breast prosthesis according to claim 9, and further comprising a plastic sheet disposed between the thin part and the fabric tape and joined to the thin part and the fabric tape by a process selected from the group consisting of welding and gluing.

11. The breast prosthesis according to claim 9 wherein the thin part and the fabric tape are made of a same material.

12. The breast prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein the plastic sheet members are polyurethane films.

13. The breast prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein the thin part in conjunction with the back face of the plastic body forms a cavity.

14. The breast prosthesis according to claim 1 wherein the thin part comprises a marginal region surrounding a central area and extending to the common edge of the first and second plastic sheet members.

15. The breast prosthesis according to claim 14 wherein the marginal region comprises an edge terminating at the common edge of the plastic sheet members, said edge of the marginal region being fixedly secured to the common edge of the plastic sheet members.

16. The breast prosthesis according to claim 15 wherein the edge of the marginal region is welded to the plastic body through a weld seam.

17. The breast prosthesis according to claim 15 wherein the edge of the marginal region is glued to the plastic body.

18. The breast prosthesis according to claim 14 wherein the edge of the marginal region is fixedly secured to the back face of the plastic body in the form of a grid pattern.

19. The breast prosthesis according to claim 1, and further comprising at least one second thin part having an edge which is so affixed to the back face of the plastic body that the first thin part and the second thin part are spaced from one another.

20. The breast prosthesis according to claim 8 wherein the edge of the first thin part is secured to the back face of the plastic body by a weld seam or glue seam, said opening being formed by an interruption in the weld seam or glue seam.

21. The breast prosthesis according to claim 8 wherein the opening is closable.

22. The breast prosthesis according to claim 13, and further comprising a padding member disposed in the cavity.

23. The breast prosthesis according to claim 19 wherein at least one of the first and second thin parts is a fabric member.

24. The breast prosthesis according to claim 23 wherein the fabric member comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of polyamide fibers, polyester fibers and cotton.

25. The breast prosthesis according to claim 23 wherein the fabric member is made of a material selected from the group consisting of woven fabric and knitted fabric made of microfibers.

26. The breast prosthesis according to claim 25 wherein the microfibers are made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyester and polyamide.

27. The breast prosthesis according to claim 19 wherein at least one of the first and second thin parts is a plastic sheet.

28. The breast prosthesis according to claim 27 wherein the first thin part is a plastic sheet and the second thin part is a fabric member.

29. The breast prosthesis according to claim 2 wherein the edge of the thin part is partially secured to the back face of the plastic body by the weld seam.

30. A breast prosthesis, comprising:

a flexible plastic body including a first plastic sheet member and a second plastic sheet member joined to each other along a common edge;

a plastic mass enclosed between the first and second plastic sheet members to form a concave cavity, wherein the plastic body has a front face formed to resemble the shape of a natural breast and a back face for facing towards the torso of a wearer; and

an elastically deformable thin part secured to the back face of the plastic body at a distance to the common edge of the joined first and second plastic sheet members;

wherein the thin part and the back face of the plastic body define a hollow space, said thin part being provided with an opening for inserting filler material in the hollow space between the thin part and the back face of the plastic body, wherein the opening has the shape of a slit which is demarcated by an edge of the thin part, said edge of the thin part around the opening being reinforced by a fabric tape at the edge of the opening.

31. A breast prosthesis, comprising:

a flexible plastic body including a first plastic sheet member and a second plastic sheet member joined to each other along a common edge;

a plastic mass enclosed between the first and second plastic sheet members to form a concave cavity, wherein the plastic body has a front face formed to resemble the shape of a natural breast and a back face for facing towards the torso of a wearer; and

an elastically deformable thin part secured to the back face of the plastic body at a distance to the common edge of the joined first and second plastic sheet members, wherein the thin part and the back face of the plastic body define a hollow space, said thin part being provided with an opening for inserting filler material in the hollow space between the thin part and the back face of the plastic body;

wherein the opening has the shape of a slit which is demarcated by an edge of the thin part, said edge of the thin part around the opening being reinforced by a fabric tape at the edge of the opening; and

further comprising a plastic sheet disposed between the thin part and the fabric tape and joined to the thin part and the fabric tape by a process selected from the group consisting of welding and gluing.

32. A breast prosthesis, comprising:

a flexible plastic body including a first plastic sheet member and a second plastic sheet member joined to each other along a common edge;

a plastic mass enclosed between the first and second plastic sheet members to form a concave cavity, wherein the plastic body has a front face formed to resemble the shape of a natural breast and a back face for facing towards the torso of a wearer; and

a elastically deformable thin part secured to the back face of the plastic body at a distance to the common edge of the joined first and second plastic sheet members, wherein the thin part and the back face of the plastic body define a hollow space, said thin part being provided with an opening for inserting filler material in the hollow space between the thin part and the back face of the plastic body;

wherein the opening has the shape of a slit which is demarcated by an edge of the thin part, said edge of the thin part around the opening being reinforced by a fabric tape at the edge of the opening, wherein the thin part and the fabric tape are made from the same material.