Convertible Nursing Garment with Selective Opening Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Busy nursing mothers face the challenge of expressing breast milk while being unable to use their hands for other activities, as existing garments require frequent changes and do not provide adequate support or style for both milk expression and non-expression periods.
Innovation Solution
A nursing garment with a three-layer construction, including a band, inner soft cups, and an exterior front panel, that allows for hands-free milk expression by creating an opening for the pumping apparatus while providing breast support and style, suitable for normal wear, pumping, and nursing configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a garment is designed to hold pumping apparatus during milk expression, then hands-free operation is enabled, but the garment requires frequent changes and does not provide adequate support or style for non-expression periods
Solution Approach 1:
The nursing garment is designed with a three-layer construction that enables it to perform multiple functions: it provides breast support and styling during non-expression periods, and simultaneously accommodates pumping apparatus during milk expression. The garment integrates an exterior front panel, inner soft cups with retaining panels, and a band that work together to support both aesthetic wear and functional pumping needs without requiring separate garments for each purpose.
2Ease of operation
If a garment is designed for milk expression only, then hands-free pumping is achieved, but the individual must change garments before and after expressing milk, increasing time burden
Solution Approach 1:
The garment eliminates the need for separate pre- and post-pumping garments by integrating features that satisfy both aesthetic and functional requirements throughout the day. The three-layer construction with selectively openable retaining panels allows the same garment to be worn continuously for support, styling, and pumping operations, thereby eliminating time-consuming garment changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The retaining panels are designed to be selectively openable and closable, allowing the garment to dynamically adapt between its support/styling configuration and its pumping accommodation configuration. This dynamic feature enables the garment to transition between different functional states without requiring removal or replacement, thus saving time while maintaining hands-free pumping capability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the exterior front panel is securely attached, then garment structure is maintained, but access to inner soft cups for pumping is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The garment divides the front panel into two distinct layers: an exterior front panel that maintains the garment's outer structure and appearance, and inner soft cups with retaining panels that provide the functional interface for pumping. The retaining panels can be selectively opened independently to accommodate pumping apparatus while the exterior front panel remains intact, thus maintaining structural integrity while enabling easy access for pumping operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A nursing garment is configured to be worn by a wearer having breasts and for use with a pumping apparatus and includes a band, a pair of inner soft cups, and an exterior front panel. The band extends around a torso of the wearer. The pair of inner soft cups are secured to the band, and each includes a top retaining panel and a bottom retaining panel overlapping one another. The top retaining panel and the bottom retaining panel are configured to be selectively pulled away from each other forming an opening therebetween to permit a portion of the pumping apparatus to extend through the opening during milk expression. The exterior front panel extends over the pair of inner soft cups having a bottom edge that is free from mid-length securement can be at least partially pulled upwardly to expose one or both of the pair of inner soft cups.