Nipple cover

• US 8,844,539 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation
• Original Assignee: Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation
• Inventors: Kurz, Daniel R., Seely, Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US13/486,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20120302974A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 128887-890, 602 41- 48, 602 52- 58
• US Class Current: 128/889
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/141 Milk breast pads
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 15/008 Appliances for wound protecting, e.g. avoiding contact between wound and bandage corn plasters A61F13/063
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15016 for breast; pads for bras
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 13/00 Breast-nipple shields breast-pumps A61M1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 19/00 Local anaesthesia syringes therefor A61M5/00; Hypothermia A61M5/42 takes precedence; cooling blood in a bypass of the arterial system A61M1/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1007 Breast; mammary

Abstract

One aspect of the present application relates to a covering member for a protruding portion of a patient'"'"'s body. This cover is flexible and collapsible so that it conforms to the shape of the encased portion of the body.

Claims

1. A nipple cover configured to collect fluids originating from a breast duct, comprising:

a base configured to anchor the nipple cover to a portion of the breast surrounding the nipple;

a nipple receiving well extending from the base, said nipple receiving well comprising a distal end wall and at least one sidewall; and

an adhesive located along a lower surface of the base, said adhesive configured to removably secure the nipple cover to the breast, wherein said adhesive comprises a medically approved skin adhesive;

wherein the base and the nipple receiving well form an enclosure that is configured to receive the nipple and isolate the nipple from the surrounding environment when the nipple cover is positioned on the breast;

wherein the nipple receiving well is configured to substantially conform to a shape of the nipple such that at least a portion of each of the distal end wall and the at least one sidewall of said nipple receiving well is configured to at least partially contact the nipple when the nipple cover is secured to the breast;

wherein the nipple cover comprises a polymeric material that is generally flexible and resilient, said polymeric material being biocompatible and hypoallergenic; and

wherein the nipple cover creates a seal with the breast such that ductal fluids secreted by the nipple are maintained within an interior of the nipple cover while the nipple cover is secured to the breast.

2. The nipple cover of claim 1, wherein the at least one sidewall comprises a length between about 0.0001 and 3 inches.

3. The nipple cover of claim 1, wherein the at least one sidewall comprises a length between about 0.5 to 3.0 inches.

4. The nipple cover of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises a generally circular or elliptical cross-sectional shape.

5. The nipple cover of claim 1, wherein the nipple receiving well is configured to retain fluids originating from a breast duct.

6. The nipple cover of claim 1, wherein at least one of the base and the nipple receiving well are at least partially flexible.